Something Entirely New
by graveofbutterflies
Summary: 300 years is a long time to be alone...but what happens if your suddenly not alone, but with an awkward, inexperienced family? Because that is what Jack Frost thinks the guardians are. (Aka a collection of drabbles about a family trying to be a family.) **REWRITE OF SNOWFALL AND SNOWFLAKES**
1. Nightmares and Flowers

**Helllooooo people I'm baaack!**

**How, you ask? Well, I just felt like it. I realised that lots of these drabbles were so so bad and I really wanted to reboot this fanfic so here I am;)**

**More amazing information about this reboot will be at the end of this first one. And…**

**I don't own rotg though I would love to…**

**Anywho, lets get going!**

**Enjoy!**

_Jack walked in a small circle, letting his eyes close as the leaves crunched under his feet, dirt seeping between his toes. The night was cool, and a soft breeze tousled his fringe slightly with each step he took. As the sun sank further in the bare trees, Jack let himself relax, exhaling loudly. His breath fogged in front of him in a small cloud and the spirit, fascinated, breathed out again, purposefully exaggerating each breath. To his delight, more clouded fog was produced out of his mouth. Jack laughed, trying to snatch the most with his hands. _

_A loud snap echoed through the woods suddenly, and Jack paused, mid-breath, as a few birds flocked from the tree branches above. It took a moment to realise why the snap startled him so much, but his smile slowly slipped into a frown once the truth became clear. _

_There were no other noises in the forest. _

_No chirping, no tweeting, no scurrying, no scraping – nothing that Jack had grown used to after his excessive time spent in the woodlands. _

_The air now stung his cheeks, no longer soft and gentle, as his senses became more alert. He felt like Bunny himself, straining his ears for any noise like the rabbit tended to do a lot. The circle that the spirit had been pacing in had halted some time ago, and the fogging of his breath no longer distracted him. _

"_Where am I?" Jack muttered, almost smacking himself for asking such a cliché question. Of course, no one answered, not that he was expecting one. Subconsciously, he gripped his staff harder, frost spreading to each tip. Sighing, he began to walk forwards slowly, scuffing his feet against the dry leaves. His staff made a frost trail as he dragged it behind him. _

_After walking for a few minutes, Jack finally reached one place that he recognised. His lake. _

_Well, it wasn't his lake really, but he liked to think it was as he spent most of his time there. Upon reaching it, however, the spirit realised that he wasn't alone. _

_In the middle of the lake stood a small girl, stood rigid with fear. She had brown, long hair and she wore old looking clothes, thick and handmade. Jack moved closer, his feet making a small slapping sound as they hit the ice that covered the lake's waters. Once his feet made contact, a slow, cracking sound was emitted from beneath him. The spirit froze, balancing carefully, as spider-like cracks spread out beneath him, moving towards the girl's feet. The girl wailed slightly at the sound, and she slowly turned to face him. _

_The girl had big, brown eyes, which were wide and fearful, and her skin was pale. Jack knew that face._

"_Pippa?" He breathed. It was his sister, the one he saw in his memories, the one he had loved over three hundred years ago. _

_And she was standing on weak ice, about to collapse under her weight._

"_Jack…I'm scared!" Pippa cried out, her legs slipping slightly underneath her. The ice gave another moan, and the cracks were expanding. Jack hardly glanced at them and instead kept his eyes locked with his sibling's._

"_I know, I know. I'm scared too. But I'll help you, I promise." He said, holding out his staff. Words that he had spoken centuries ago came echoing back to him._

"_You have to believe in me." _

_Pippa sniffed, her tears leaving tracks down her face. She reached out slowly, stretching out her fingers towards his staff. The ice cracked again, louder. Jack realised what was about to happen too late._

"_No!"_

_His plea didn't stop the ice breaking. It didn't stop his sister from falling. _

"_Pippa!" The spirit ran towards the hole that his sibling had fell through; the ice, however, began to split under his feet too. He fell into the dark waters just as his sister did, gasping at the cold that stung his limbs. _

_Slowly, he sank towards the lakebed, watching as the ice sealed itself above him. His lungs were burning but his limbs were paralysed with cold and fear. _

_Just as his vision grew blurred, a few figures above the ice caught his attention. A red blur. A golden light. A large shape. A smudge of bright colours. The guardians. _

_Despite his position, Jack felt a small smile creep on his face. They would save him. But as the seconds stretched on, the spirit realised that the shapes weren't doing anything to break the ice, try and reach him. Maybe they were assessing their situation? The guardians didn't move as darkness crept through his vision. They didn't shift as Jack flailed his limbs, trying to swim. They didn't even twitch as he finally let out a breath, only to get water instead of air. As the bubbles escaped from his mouth, Jack reached out, trying to grasp something he didn't even know. They guardians watched on, not doing anything. Jack's eyes, full of hurt and betrayal, fluttered closed as he registered that the guardians, the ones who he looked up to and believed in, were leaving him to die._

"_-ack."_

_Jack felt his back brush the bottom on the lake._

"-ack…ck.."

_He let his arm fall beside him slowly, and his thoughts became sluggish._

"Jack…"

"Jack!"

—

Bunny didn't know what to expect when he called Jack's name for what felt like the hundredth time, but Jack Frost suddenly jerking awake, causing frost to shoot across the floor? Maybe not.

If it wasn't for his stupidly sensitive hearing he wouldn't be here – sitting beside a frozen lake on a cold night shouting himself hoarse was definitely not how he planned his night to go. Paint a few more eggs, maybe, or tend to his flowers in his garden. Then go to bed. Not slapping a winter spirit in the face to get him to wake up.

The whole reason he was even passing the lake was so he could have a larger range of plant life in his Warren; a particular flower happened to grow in Canada in damp places like the marsh around a lake. And he _also _happened to notice that, when he had last visited Lake Burgess, that the particular flowers he was looking for thrived around there.

Bunny didn't plan for a winter spirit to be sleeping a few metres away from these flowers, dead to the world.

At first he thought that Jack was sleeping peacefully and quietly moved around him to collect some of the flowers. However, it came more apparent, as he passed close to his face, that the spirit was somewhat distressed. His brow was furrowed, sweat beaded beneath his hairline and he began to twitch on the ground. Bunny watched for a few more seconds before deciding to take some action. He crouched next to the spirit and nudged him slightly, calling out his name.

"Jack?"

Jack didn't respond, but seemed to become more panicked at whatever was happening in the dream. So Bunny did the same again. And again. And again. And again – but Jack stayed stuck in the nightmare. Finally, the Pooka shouted loudly again and slapped him in the face. It wasn't a hard slap – he didn't want to hurt the spirit – but it seemed to work.

"Calm down, Frostbite!" Bunny yelled as Jack stared around wildly, breathing hard. The spirit didn't seem to hear him, but blinked owlishly a few times.

"Jack?" Bunny called quietly, moving closer to the spirit. Jack seemed to snap out of his daze and his eyes focused on the Pooka in front of him.

"Bunny?" He eventually said, barely a whisper. "What are you doing here?"

"Collectin' flowers." The rabbit answered dismissively, watching as Jack slowly calmed down from whatever nightmare he was having.

Bunny wasn't sure what to do at this point. When it came to the comforting department, he wasn't the one that people went to. Tooth, definitely. North? Probably. Sandy, of course, was a great listener. But him? No.

But Jack certainly did need some comforting right now.

The spirit had began to tremble slightly, and he looked like he was going to burst into tears any second. Bunny had never seen Jack Frost, who often laughed for no reason and played a prank every half hour, reduced to what he could only place as a child. So, swallowing his pride, Bunny asked the question that is always asked after a nightmare.

"Do ya wanna talk about it?"

Jack seemed to realise what he was talking about, and shook his head mutely.

"I'm good." He muttered in the most unconvincing way known to man. He fiddled with his staff nervously, not looking him in the eye.

"Righ'" Bunny stood up, understanding that Jack wanted to be left alone. He was not a great comforter. He might make it worse. "See ya tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Jack asked, sounding a bit more like himself. Bunny nodded, opening up a hole in the ground.

"Meetin', remember?"

"Oh…yeah."

Bunny looked back at the spirit for a few seconds before jumping into the tunnel.

It was only when he entered the Warren, stored the flowers and painted a few eggs that he realised that he should've stayed where he was.

Sure, Bunny was no comforter, but he was the best of that was available. Casting the egg to the side, the Pooka quickly summoned a tunnel again, praying that his mistake would be forgiven. He must've made it to Burgess Lake in record speed, and scanned the area frantically for any sign of blue and white.

But Jack Frost was gone.

**So yeah, if you didn't realise, this **_**was **_**the first fic that I ever wrote, but improved (a lot). **

**PLEASE READ THIS:**

**I WILL be rewriting all of the drabbles in the old collection and more in this one. And, to know which ideas/old oneshots you want me to write/rewrite, I need your help.**

**PLEASE REQUEST WHAT YOU WANT!**

**If you haven't read my old drabbles, then please don't (they are very very bad) but you can request your own ideas – I'll be happy to write them. **

**I will be sending this message to my old collection too so all the readers following there can see that I haven't given up (well I did BUT NOT ANYMORE)**

**So please please please review and request because I REALLY want to know whether this is a good idea or not.**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH**

;)


	2. Meetings are Loud

**Hello again!**

**Until I have enough requests, I will just be moving in the order of my last set of drabbles, so get requesting!**

**I disclaim.**

**Enjoy!**

Jack shifted from his position slightly, moving so his arm draped a gross his chest instead of his leg. He dug his elbows deeper into the squashy chair and sighed again, swinging his legs. He had to stop, however, as the movement almost made him slip into the floor.

This was because Jack wasn't sitting on the chair properly – that would just be too boring – but instead was flipped the other way, so his legs were resting against the headrest and his hair was skimming the floor below.

Jack sighed _again, _stressing the loud noise it made as air rushed out of his lips. Not that it made much of a difference.

Windows rattled as the argument grew to its loudest, or that was what Jack thought, and he was half tempted to clamp his hands over his ears; he never used to hear noises like this, and the experience was new to him. Instead, he imagined that the Pole rattled so hard with all the raised voices that it collapsed in a cloud of dust, only elves remaining. The spirit spluttered with laughter at the image.

However, soon Jack was bored again, and wondering whether he could just leave. He had snow days to prepare and frost to spread, but instead he was cooped up inside the globe room listening to an argument.

"EASTER IS MUCH BETTA THEN CHRISTMAS!"

"NO! CHRISTMAS GIVES CHILDREN TOYS FOR FREE INSTEAD OF EGGS THEY HAVE TO FIND!"

He winced Bunny slammed his fist on the table, making it crack slightly.

"Err…Tooth?" Jack said, raising his voice slightly so he could be heard. Tooth, who was currently fiddling with her feathers, turned to him with a gentle smile.

"Yes, sweet-tooth?" She asked as if nothing was going on in the centre of the room.

"How long does this usually last for?"

"Well, it depends." The fairy hummed in thought. "Seeing as it isn't near Christmas, and we've just had Easter…I'd say about half an hour."

"_Half an hour?" _Jack whispered in shock. The spirit groaned and dramatically rolled into his front, whacking his hand against the floor. The whack wasn't meant to be that hard – just an act of frustration – but Jack wasn't expecting the movement to be so large.

His hand collided painfully with the floorboards, making a sound loud enough to wake up the Sandman from his slumber. For a few seconds, Jack couldn't feel anything. Then it began to hurt. A lot.

"Are you alright!" Tooth asked, gasping as the spirit cradled his hand, sitting up from the slouch he was in. Sandy drifted over to the seen, the corner of his lips tugged into an amused smile.

"Fine…" Jack said in a strangled voice, inspecting his fingers.

"I think you'll live…" Tooth was looking at the spirit's palm, eyes wide. "But there is a bruise beginning to form here…"

"Already?!" Jack looked down at it, immediately forgetting about the pain. His eyes lit up.

"I've got The Black Spot!" He yelled almost as loud as North and Bunny.

"CHRISTMAS!"

"EASTER!"

"The what?" Tooth asked, poking the "black spot" that now was growing larger, near his thumb.

"You don't know what it is?!"

"No. No I don't."

Sandy made some symbols above his head, and Jack beamed in response.

"See! Sandy knows!" He exclaimed. He shuffled into a more comfortable position, wedging his staff into the crack of the chair so it stood upwards like a tree.

"The Black Spot is what a pirate gets when they are going to die. It's like a big death omen." Jack shrugged, grinning.

"So you're going to die." Tooth concluded, eyebrow raised. Jack and Sandy nodded.

"Yup!"

"YOUR HOLIDAY BRIBES CHILDREN WITH PRESENTS!"

"YOURS DOES TOO!"

"BAH! MINE HAS MORE OF THE LIGHTS!"

Jack sighed, flopping back onto the chair. Tooth sat beside him on the floor and Sandy decided to sit on the armrest. The trio watched as the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus continued to argue at each other. Occasionally, Jack would inspect "The Black Spot" again, but eventually he got bored.

Sighing, he made a small snowflake in his hand and watched as it fluttered through the air. Next to him, Sandy sent a small stream of dreams and at it, and it glowed golden.

"Whoa! Pretty!" Jack laughed as the snowflake hit the floor.

"I SAY THIS ONE MORE TIME! CHRISTMAS IZ BETTER THAN EASTER!"

"NOT ON YA NELLY, MATE!"

Then, the spirit thought of an idea.

Jack Frost thought of a wonderful, awful idea.

—

"That worked well." Jack grinned, staring at the scene in front of him. Sandy nodded, matching his smile. Tooth was stifling her laughter with a hand clamped to her mouth.

"How did we never think of this before, Sandy?" She asked.

"You never had me to manipulate your innocent minds." Jack answered, lazily swinging his staff.

On the floor two figures were slumped on top of each other, both in a deep sleep. One was Bunny and the other was North. Both guardians had golden dreams above their heads. Jack laughed as he watched Bunny twitch his nose.

"I wish I had a camera."

**Thanks for reading!**

**Like I said in the last chapter, if you have a request please tell me, I don't mind if I get nagged!**


	3. Immortal Teenager

**Ok so here is the next chapter, requested by Panemat!**

**I disclaim.**

**Enjoy!**

Life was hard sometimes. Or that was what Jack was thinking right now, as he sulked with his face planted into the pillow.

The spirit groaned loudly, twisting on his side after realising he couldn't breathe. The clock ticked on his wall annoyingly, and he had the sudden urge to throw a chunk of ice at it.

So he did.

The clock never stood a chance, really. The ice block that Jack had crafted was at least ten inches thick, and it was thrown at such a force that it made the wall rattle slightly. Shards of wood burst everywhere and the batteries fell on the floor with a loud clunk. Jack, satisfied, flopped onto his back and continued to sulk in peace.

"Jack Frost!" A voice shouted. Jack ignored it.

"Jack Frost what did you just do?!"

_BANG_

Jack didn't react as the door leading to his room was ripped off its hinges and a very angry Santa entered. In fact, the spirit didn't even acknowledge the older guardian was there, and instead inspected his nails.

"Jack! Answer me!" North ordered, moving further into the blue room. Jack watched out as the Cossack's eyes found the sad remains of the clock.

"You broke the clock?" He asked in a dangerously low voice. Jack nodded, shrugging.

"You're the one that sent me up early." He muttered, then sighed loudly and dramatically.

"That iz because you misbehaved today! I warned you!"

"No you didn't."

"I asked you three times." North said, clenching his fist in an act to control his rage. It wasn't helping. "To stop icing the elves but you kept doing it!"

"That was to annoy you." Jack muttered moodily, letting his arm fall next to him limply.

"What has gotten into you, Jack Frost?!" North said, glaring at the spirit. "I will not tolerate it anymore! Behave yourself!"

"_Behave yourself." _Jack mocked in a exaggerated Russian accent, rolling onto his side again.

"YOU ARE GROUNDED!" North bellowed, slamming his fist onto the bed hard enough to make Jack bounce.

"_What?!_" Jack shrieked, sitting up. "You can't ground me!"

"Just did. Ha!" North laughed. Jack scowled.

"I can leave whenever I like!" Jack countered, folding his arms. He looked away from the Cossack with a angry sigh.

If you leave," North threatened, stepping into the doorway. His voice dropped to a low whisper. "You will be dragged back here and chained to yeti." The older guardian turned and walked out of the room, closing the door with a slam.

Jack groaned and crashed back onto his bed with his face back into the pillow.

"I _hate_ my life!" He yelled, stabbing the mattress beside him with a icicle.

—

"Jack! Wake up!" North's voice rang from the floor below, making Jack groan. Slowly, the spirit lifted his head, blinking rapidly to clear the sleep. At first, he forgot why he was lying face first into a pillow.

"I'm grounded." He muttered, yawning. He groaned, turning so he was facing the window. "Great."

From the darkened sky in the window, the spirit guessed it was still quite early into the day. Too early.

Usually, Jack would never be this tired, but his reluctance today was for North and North alone. So, curling up smaller, he let his eyes drift closed.

"JACK FROST GET OUT OF BED!"

—

"North?"

"No."

"Noorrrth?"

"No."

"Noooooooorrrrrrrtttthhhh?"

"You deserve this."

"No I don't."

Jack was crouched under a table, watching a big scuttle across the floor. North was sitting peacefully in front of the fire, checking a long list scrawled with names.

North was as bad as his word – Jack had been successfully dragged out of bed, staff confiscated and locked in the globe room where the yeti could keep an eye on him. For the past ten minutes Jack had been repeating the Cossack's name to try and make him crack, his mind seemed to be made out of steel.

Groaning, the spirit lay on his front and watched the bug as it scurried across the small chunk of ice that he had managed to create. Having a pet woodlouse didn't sound as good as he thought, so now he was bored again. Speaking of pets…

"North? Could I have a pet?" He asked, turning to face the older guardian. North looked up from the list briefly.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You will set it loose and cause havoc." North answered, chuckling slightly. "And right now you are being punished for being so moody. So no. Iz that good?"

"No, it's not." Jack moaned, letting his head fall onto the floorboards. The bug had finished climbing the ice and now was making its way back down.

"Could I have a pet reindeer?" He asked suddenly. North sighed, looking away from the list.

"No. You iz too naughty." He replied, glancing at the spirit.

"But I wouldn't be if you got me a reindeer." Jack muttered and let his head drop onto the floor.

"No pet. End of story." The Cossack almost missed what Jack said next. _Almost._

"Fuck you."

"THAT IZ ENOUGH!" North sprang upwards, sending the lost flying across the room. Once wonder-filled eyes were now brimming with rage and disbelief. He drew his swords quickly and pointed one of the blades to Jack menacingly.

"You do not EVER use that language here again, understand?" The older guardian's voice was full of quiet anger. Jack shrugged, unfazed by the large sword pointed at his throat.

"Whatever." He muttered, sighing dramatically.

**Sorry this is so short…but hey – REVIEW!**


	4. Bandages Are Itchy

**Hello everyone!**

**Okay, so here's what I have done:**

**I have merged one of my old drabbles in with a request from ****Demi clayton, who wanted some bonding with Jack and Bunny.**

**Anywho, I don't own rotg…**

**Enjoy!**

Jack couldn't but grin at the chaos reining around him. Okay, maybe not _real _chaos compared to what he was truly capable of, but Easter was approaching fast and the spirit wasn't completely heartless despite the rumours.

Every lake full of dye in the entire Warren had been frozen solid, along with each flower that gave colour to the eggs. The eggs themselves were running around the fields in utter panic, unable to get painted. It was snowing lightly in the East section of the Warren, and from what Jack could remember, the Northern section of the Warren was now taken over by an army of snowmen.

Jack stifled his giggles as he recalled what he had done, and that was _without _thinking about what he had done to Bunny.

An angry yell sounded and Jack took that as a queue to hide. Still stifling the laugh that threatened to burst out of him, the spirit jumped and let himself hover in the wind as he searched for a good spot. Something that would allow him to see Bunny, but conceal himself. He did not want to be found by an angry rabbit. He spotted a big, bulky tree a few metres away from him and, gasping in excitement, he glided slowly into its thick branches and wedged himself inside, safely hidden in the leaves. Leaning against trunk, Jack watched, unblinking, as the shouting and cursing and yelling and growling got louder.

Then, _finally, _Aster Bunnymund ran, snarling, into the clearing in all of his glory: bright pink fur and frosted white ears. And he looked mad – no, livid.

_Livid…that's a funny word…_Jack thought, mentally adding it to his list of funny words. This included: Nincompoop, wharf, nom-nom, bees, meow, bongo, leaks, broccoli, dwarf, minuscule, mini and walk.

"Jack Frost!" Bunny's shout drowned the wheeze of laughter the spirit had emitted at the arrival of the large rabbit. Fortunately, Bunny hadn't heard.

"Frostbite, once I'm done with ya winter ain't gonna be a season no more!" The Pooka threatened but Jack dismissed it, biting his lip to try and control himself. It felt like he was going to explode if he opened his mouth.

Instead, he watched as Bunny scented the air and twitched his ears. His eyes flicked quickly to potential hiding spots but never once glanced at the tree beside him.

Jack wasn't completely stupid, despite his carefree attitude. If he could smell the overwhelming sap and general fresh smell surrounded this tree, Bunny certainly would – only much stronger. There was no chance that his own smell would ever make it pass that.

Sure enough, Bunny couldn't seem to scent him, so he instead resorted to threats again. How original.

"I can wait here all day, Frostbite!" The Pooka shouted, "But ya gonna want to leave soon!"

_Nope, _Jack thought smugly, wiggling further onto the branch. _Nope nope nope nope nope. I'm not missing this for all the winters in the world._

He leaned back against the bark, moving his staff closer to his arm. With the movement, a small, tiny snap emerged from the twig near his elbow. Jack froze, praying silently.

However, whoever he was praying to wasn't on his side.

"Frosty." Bunny's voice was dangerously low. "Get outta that tree." Jack didn't move. Bunny's glare suddenly pierced into the tree, directly at the spirit.

"Now, before I drag ya down there." The Pooka growled. Sighing, Jack began to slowly climb down the tree, taking a few seconds on each branch, trying to make it last forever. He was almost certain that Bunny would kill him when he reached the floor – or at least paint him pink.

Unexpectedly, Jack's foot slipped on a branch. With a small yelp, the spirit lost his balance and he fell to the ground, breaking the twigs beneath him. He collided painfully on the grass on his side, hissing.

"Crikey Frostbite!" Bunny yelled in surprise, suddenly beside him. "What did ya do that for?!"

"I didn't do it on purpose." Jack muttered, closing his eyes. A sharp pain was increasing on his ankle – he didn't know which one – and he didn't like it. In fact, he could feel some tears prick in his eyelids. No. Way.

He was not crying over a hurting ankle.

In front of Bunny.

"Are ya hurt?" Bunny's voice was suddenly uncharacteristically gentle, and close to his ear. Jack wanted to laugh, but _it hurt_.

"Only a little." The spirit decided to say, opening his eyes again. Bunny was crouching next to him with an expression that looked odd on his face, and Jack couldn't name it.

"Don't look like it." The Pooka's attitude was back in his voice, and the spirit did smile slightly then. This was a Bunny he was used to.

"I'm fine." Jack said more confidently, rolling into his back. The grass was making his nose itch. Bunny rolled his eyes, and held out a paw. The spirit blinked at it owlishly for a few seconds before realising that no, Bunny wasn't trying to kill him, he was trying to help him. Gratefully, he took the paw and pulled himself up.

"Ya hurt ya ankle." Bunny muttered. It was Jack's turn to roll his eyes.

"I noticed." Jack wiggled his foot slightly, wincing. "It should heal soon though." Carefully, he placed both hands on either side of his ankle. Frost began to spread from his fingers, coating the injury in a few layers of ice. The spirit felt Bunny's judgmental eyes on him, and he swore he heard the intake of breath before the rabbit spoke.

"Wha' is tha?"

"A cast."

"I can see tha, Frosty."

"Well why did you ask?"

Bunny's ear twitched.

"Why didn't ya just get a bandage?" He asked. Jack smiled, slowly standing up.

"Because there are none here…" The spirit raised an eyebrow. "I've done this before, it's cool…no pun intended."

"Ya could've asked me to get one, ya dill." Bunny replied. Jack's confident smile turned to a sheepish one, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I didn't think of that." He admitted, staring at the floor. It suddenly became very interesting.

"Don't just stand there, then." Bunny said somewhat impatiently. Jack looked up and saw that the giant rabbit had an unreadable expression on his face. No change there. Still, Jack had a target to try and learn all of the Pooka's facial expressions at the end of the year – he wasn't having much luck currently though.

"Why can't I stand here?" Jack asked, blinking owlishly. He grinned. "Plus, I'm not really standing – I'm hobbling." He pointed to his injured foot that he had raised off the ground to prevent further damage. Bunny snorted.

"Well, that ice is gonna melt. I thought ya might want a new bandage for when it does." He said. Jack tilted his head.

"But bandages are itchy." He said stubbornly.

"Tough. Follow me." Bunny eyes the spirit dangerously. "And don't freeze anythin'"

"Noted."

Jack followed the Pooka obediently, using his staff as a crutch. Even so, he struggled to keep up with the long strides, and had to skip a few steps every so often.

The spirit took this brief time to take a better look at the Warren, as he only ever saw it properly from the air. Surprisingly, it was quite…pretty. That was, apart from the frozen lakes and littered snow. Guiltily, Jack stared around at the mess he had created. He now understood why Bunny was so angry.

"Err…I can clean this up later if you like…" Jack said, suddenly shy. Bunny turned his head towards him slightly.

"Can ya even do tha'?" He asked. Jack shrugged.

"I dunno whether I can _remove _it, but I could help clean it up." The spirit answered, avoiding a snowman.

"Ya alrigh'" The Pooka smiled slightly underneath the pink, frosted fur. "It will melt soon anyway."

Jack couldn't help it anymore – he burst out laughing.

"Wha?" Bunny asked, bewildered. Jack just laughed harder and answered, breathlessly:

"You're…PINK!"

Bunny scowled.

**Sorry this is short (again) but I'm not too sure how many words drabbles should have…anyway, I hope you like it coz I don't!**


	5. Hobo

**Hello again everyone**

**I disclaim.**

**Enjoy!**

"Cut it out!" Jack hissed, flopping into a snow bank.

His belly rumbled again.

"No!" The spirit growled, glaring daggers at his stomach. His stomach quietened slightly. Sighing, Jack subconsciously placed a hand over it, sitting up from his current slouch. However annoying it was, it was normal for him.

Living out on the streets wasn't as glamorous as Jack often described. With no home, the spirit had quickly grown used to the lack of food that his style of living gave, but it still didn't mean that he was never hungry – no, he was starving almost all of the time. Once or twice he considered, now that he was a guardian, asking North or Bunny for any leftovers but, as always, his pride always got the better of him.

_What's so different now? Why bother?_

That was always what Jack told himself. Still, it wasn't easy being hungry. In fact, is was just plain annoying feeling his stomach rumble each time he was food, or smelt a nice odour in the air. It was especially hard for him to not fly into a human's home and steal the meals that were laid out neatly on big tables. Jack Frost thought of himself as a lot of things, but he wasn't a thief.

There were lots of times where Jack wouldn't actually _feel _hungry, but the spirit preferred to be hungry at these times. These were the days when he would shut himself off from the world and leave himself with his own, careful thoughts.

Jack's daydreaming was interrupted by a particularly loud rumble from his stomach which made him curse in surprise.

"_Stop. It!_" Jack snapped, standing up abruptly. Ignoring it wasn't working. Still cursing furiously, the spirit desperately searched his surroundings for anything edible. Anything to get his stomach to shut up…plus he was pretty hungry right now.

"What's that?" Jack spotted a small, reddish object hanging on a tree branch. It looked kinda like an…

"Apple! Yummy!" Jack laughed in delight. He liked apples a lot. Apples were juicy. Apples were nice. Apples were yummy.

Cocking his head, the spirit quickly calculated the safest route up the tree and began to walk to his target. Grinning excitedly at the concept of a meal, he dropped his staff beside him and began to climb up the trunk, digging his toes into the bark. Usually, Jack would just fly up to the apple and snatch it, but last time he did that he ended up knocking himself out on one of the branches.

"You're mine, apple!" Jack yelled happily, swinging across each branch like a monkey. Laughing, he reached out for the fruit that hung above him, more tempting then ever. His fingers just scraped the red skin…almost…

_SNAP_

Jack jumped at the sudden noise, looking around wildly.

_SNAP_

The spirit, with a sinking realisation, didn't get time to grab hold of something, but his hands froze –

And then he fell.

Branches split under his weight as he tumbled down the tree. He landed hard on his stomach, scattering snowflakes beneath him. His head slammed against the tree trunk, stunning him for a few seconds.

"Owww…" Jack moaned, coughing slightly. Blinking back the daze, he raised a hand and wiped back a few droplets of blood from his brow. Frowning slightly, the spirit grabbed his staff and propped himself up, cursing in various languages. Apparently English wasn't enough to show his frustration. An uncharacteristically angry scowl took over Jack's expression; eyes narrowed, he glared up at the apple, which was still hanging in the tree.

"That was mean!" He yelled at the fruit, loud enough to make a flock of birds flutter out of the trees.

The apple didn't reply.

"Fine!" Jack twisted unsteadily on his heel and began to walk in the direction of the town. "I'll find something else! Something _much _better than you!"

—

Sanderson Mansnoozie wasn't really one for snooping around, and listening into people's conversations. He preferred to wait for the person to open up themselves.

And Sandy was definitely, definitively not a master of stealth. With his bright glow and tendency to make sand creatures that gave him away to his target, the guardian had discovered that he was completely useless at trying to follow anyone at all and that, if he ever had the desire to follow anyone, he would ask Bunny to do it for him.

So why, _why _he was attempting to follow Jack Frost – the actual master of stealth – was a very long story.

Sandy had been doing his nightly dreams when he heard a variety of loud curses and threats coming from the forest that surrounding Burgess Lake. It was a well known fact to the sandman that Jack seemed to hang around the lake a lot for unknown reasons.

Unsurprisingly, Sandy couldn't help but let out a silent chuckle as he watched Jack stumble out of the trees, muttering furiously under his breath. The spirit looked quite angry, from what the older guardian could make out from the cloud he was currently floating on, and from his windswept look, looked like he had just fell out of something or crashed into something. Probably both.

Usually at this point Sandy would've moved to welcome the spirit and talk for a while before moving on, but logic got in the way of friendliness.

Why wasn't Jack in his home by now? It didn't look like he was in a hurry or spreading snow – he just looked determined and annoyed.

So now Sandy was following Jack, and he had to admit, it was easier than he thought it would be. The sandman could only place the spirit's unawareness on the fact that he still seemed quite annoyed with something, and it looked like he was searching for something.

There had been a few times, however, when Jack had been close to finding him – sometimes he would randomly look upwards and Sandy had to dive behind buildings quickly or fly out of his view. But so far he hadn't been found, and Sandy was feeling pleased with himself. So he kept tailing Jack, not knowing why.

—

Jack swore he was being followed.

The wind was slightly warmer that what it usually was around him and…

Something was just off.

Jack had had lots of experience with people following him – somehow he wasn't that popular amongst spirits – and this felt the same. However, after a few random checks in the sky and around corners, the spirit let himself relax and focus at the task in hand.

Because he was _really _hungry.

Something had caused him to become ravenous between falling from the tree and walking around town. He wanted food. He wanted an apple.

"Maybe…here?" Jack had just turned a corner and found a few dumpsters in the shadows. Curiously he moved closer, resting his staff against the stained walls.

"Aaaand in dumpster number one, we can reveal that there iiiiissss…" Jack announced like a game show host, lifting up the lid. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is a load of rubbish! No food for Jack!" He addressed to his invisible audience, shutting the lid with a slam. The rubbish stank. Shuffling, Jack reached the second dumpster, bored of his game. He was just hungry. Wincing, he opened the lid and found:

"Meat! Yuck!" Quickly he shut the meat before anymore flies could get into his face. "I just want some food, people! I don't want to steal it!" Sighing, the spirit moves over to the third dumpster, pleased to see that the lid was partly open.

"Please be something nice…" he prayed, peering inside. It was mainly full of plastic bags and Jack almost missed the small piece of food that was slightly crushed in the corner. Tilting his head, he inspected the unknown food. His face slowly broke into a grin.

"A cupcake!" Jack whispered, pulling it out carefully. The cupcake was crumbling in his hands and was partly eaten, but to the spirit it was the best thing he had seen in a month. Gently, he cupped the cake in his hand and grabbed his staff with another. He lowered himself to the wet ground, crossing his legs.

Grinning, Jack began to nibble the cake, savouring the sweetness of the icing and the flavour bursting from the sponge. It was gone quicker than the spirit would've liked.

Jack licked the crumbs off his hands and leant against the wall, drawing his legs into his chest. From what he could tell, it was past midnight, and he was getting tired. He considered going to his lake and sleeping in a tree, but the fall he had earlier was still fresh in his mind.

"Not much of a difference…" Jack muttered to himself, making himself smaller against the wall. "Only that people might walk through me…" The spirit smiled as the last of the cupcake flavours left his mouth, and closed his eyes.

He was asleep within the next few minutes.

—

Sandy watched as Jack fell asleep against the wall, shocked at what he had just saw. He always assumed that the spirit had a home, a place to stay…but if he was routing though dumpsters for food, then he doubted he had anything.

He considered revealing himself to Jack a few times, but the same thought kept blocking him from making any movements.

The trust between Jack and the the guardians was fragile.

Guilt came crashing upon the sandman in waves. None of them had ever known, ever bothered to even ask…

Jack was homeless.


	6. Infection

**I disclaim…**

**Enjoy!**

"_How long will the happy faces last, hmm?"_

Jack paused, mid-wave, as a deep voice whispered close to his ear. Confused, he searched around him for any culprit but each guardian weren't looking at him as if expecting a response. To be honest, they all looked exhausted after the previous fight, and Jack couldn't blame them – they had only just defeated _the _Pitch Black after all, and now, as the sleigh climbed higher in the sky and away from the Burgess children, Jack admitted to himself that he was just as tired.

After getting slammed into a glacier, falling down a crevasse, falling from the sky and on top of a dumpster, and not to mention the countless "tousles" with the Boogeyman, the spirit now just wanted to crawl into some snow and sleep. And looking around, he wasn't the only one.

Sandy had already fell asleep in mid air, head dropping on his shoulders. Tooth was unusually still, her wings hanging off her back and she lent on the side of the sleigh and Bunny couldn't even muster the energy to feel any motion sickness – instead he was curled up on the seat opposite him, eyes closing for a few seconds at a time. Jack couldn't see North's face, but at the way his shoulders were slunk he could guess that he was feeling the same.

"_How long will this last?"_

Jack jumped, certain that he hadn't imagined the voice. It felt so close, yet no one in the sleigh had moved. Sighing, the spirit closed his eyes, letting his fatigue override his concern. His side was hurting the most, where Pitch had slammed his nightmare sand when they were fighting in Antarctica – he had experienced worse, to be fair, but the dull ache was beginning to get on his nerves.

Jack curled up on the leathery seat, opening his eyes again. The wind breezed around him comfortingly and the spirit smiled slightly. The feelings of victory had still not left his mind, but his thoughts drifted to what would happen next.

_What do guardians do when they aren't saving children?_ He wondered with a sinking feeling. He had hoped, for a while at least, that things would change and he would actually get to _talk _to someone for the next three hundred years, but now he wasn't so sure. The words Bunny had spat during Easter and the way the other guardians silently agreed still stung; he wasn't sure whether they would want to speak to him in their free time.

Suddenly, his side gave a particularly painful stab and Jack jolted slightly at the sudden feeling, feeling slightly ill.

"Ya alrigh'?"

Jack turned his head, surprised at the slight concern in Bunny's voice.

"A little bruised, I think, but nothing major." Jack let a small, convincing smile flicker on his face. "You?"

"Same." Bunny replied. Jack nodded and looked over to the scenery surrounding them, escaping the Pooka's studying stare.

"_Why is he caring so suddenly? He didn't give a damn about you before."_

Jack had to agree with the whispering voice about that. Bunny _hadn't _given a damn before, which was strange. What had changed?

His sluggish mind became confused at the simple question. Closing his eyes once more, Jack let himself go limp and relax. Now was not the time to think.

—

The sleigh came to a rest but most of the passengers didn't realise until North left his seat – Jack and Sandy were fast asleep and Tooth was heading the same way. Bunny wasn't fully awake himself if he was completely honest, but the Pooka didn't let the weakness show, vowing that he would sleep for at least a week later at his Warren.

Stretching, Bunny rose to his feet as Tooth moved over to wake Sandy.

"Oi Frosty!" The Pooka moved closer to the spirit who was curled up in the corner. He wasn't surprised to see the teen asleep – as much as he hated to admit it, Jack had been in more fights with Pitch than he had, and his bones were aching. And who knows what he was doing when he flew away at Easter.

The memory made him twitch uncomfortably. Looking back, Bunny knew that he was wrong to take his temper out on the spirit, but he was so confused…and shocked.

Still, there was a small part of him that was still suspicious of Jack. None of them knew where he had gone, and then he suddenly turned up with some children…it was still too suspicious to him.

"I think he's in a worse state than all of us." Tooth said, joining Bunny. North's voice bellowed in the distance, shouting out orders to the yeti. The Pooka let himself listen to them for a while as he thought of an answer.

"He didn't loose any believers though." He eventually settled on.

"You know, I don't think he had any before now." Bunny looked over at Tooth, who was watching the spirit sleep with darkened eyes.

"Nah – I reckon he had some. No one has no believers." He reassured, stretching again. His limbs ached. "Anyway, it's about time he got up. He ain't sleepin' in the sleigh."

"Bunny, he looks so adorable though…"

"Tough."

Bunny suddenly pushed the spirit off his seat, making Tooth gasp. Jack woke up immediately, sitting up.

"What the-" his eyes locked onto Bunny. "Oh. It's you."

"Ride's over, Frostbite." The Pooka said, tapping his foot. Jack cursed under his breath, grabbing his staff.

"You could've just told me." He answered, picking himself up with a wince.

"It wasn't my idea." Tooth said, shooting a glare at Bunny. "But I guess you're awake now."

"Yeah…" Jack muttered, wincing again. Tooth hadn't noticed.

"You coming in? Or you staying in the cold?" North's booming voice echoed over. Jack grinned slightly and Bunny twitched his ears, realising how cold he actually was.

"Course I am, ya Dill." He shouted back, stepping out of the sleigh. Tooth followed, ruffling her feathers, but Jack hung back.

"Ya comin' or are ya gonna stay there?" The Pooka asked irritably. Jack smiled, swinging his staff onto his shoulder.

"I actually like the cold, Cottontail. But I guess Kangaroos like you don't, seeing as you're used to the Outback." He laughed, stepping onto the snow. Bunny growled.

"I ain't a Kangaroo for the last time." He said through gritted teeth. The spirit didn't seem to sense his anger, however.

"You sure?" He asked innocently. "You do look like one." He laughed again, but then suddenly clutched his side, smile fading into a grimace. Bunny felt a small, _tiny _piece of concern for the youngest guardian, remembering the fight that resulted in the spirit plunging to the ground.

"Ya okay Frostbite?" Bunny asked, trying to sound unconcerned. Jack grinned so suddenly it was frightening.

"Asking me how I am twice in one day? Aw, you do care." The spirit answered, removing his hand off his side. Bunny snorted.

"I just don't want ya passin' out on me."

"Sure."

Bunny rolled his eyes and gestured towards the Pole's entrance.

"Ya comin'?" Jack shook his head, still smiling.

"Nope. Like I said, I like the cold." Jack said carelessly, letting himself hover in the air. Bunny cursed at the sudden cold.

"North ain't gonna be happy." The Pooka pointed out. Jack just laughed.

"I'm on the naughty list. He's never happy with me."

"Good point."

Jack grinned.

"See! I am a genius." Jack yelled triumphantly. Bunny rolled his eyes again.

"Just don't freeze up my Warren!" Bunny yelled as the spirit flew higher into the roaring wind.

"Wouldn't _dream _of it." Jack laughed and flew into the sky, dumping a snowball on Bunny's head as he left, cackling.

—

Jack dropped into the snow, glad no one saw the rushed landing. The white powder sprayed everywhere as the spirit skidded a few metres before stopping.

"_Nice landing." _The voice jeered. Gasping, he sat up, looking around for the source of the noise; like before, however, there was no one there.

"Who are you?" Jack whispered. The voice didn't reply.

Jack had fell from the sky as a particularly sharp jab of his side had blackened his vision and caused a strong bout of nausea. Sitting up, the spirit gingerly felt his side, surprised. The pain had almost left, excluding a small ache.

_Strange…_

The nausea had also faded, leaving his throat dry. Sighing, Jack let himself fall backwards into the snow, smiling as it cooled his skin. The wind tugged his locks and he allowed himself to close his eyes. He thought back to the guardians, and how he left Bunny in the snow.

_Maybe I should've stayed…_the spirit quickly dismissed the thought as soon as it came. He was sure the event would've ended badly – everything did whenever he attended for some reason – and he wouldn't know how to behave.

Maybe he would go to the Pole tomorrow, if he wasn't busy. Or if he wasn't asleep.

It was actually strange for him to be this sleepy, and it would concern him if his mind wasn't so fogged. Never in his life had he been this desperate for sleep, but then again, he had never fought a Boogeyman before. Three times.

Suddenly, a new wave of pain hit his side, making him draw his knees in quickly.

"_Pretty weak, aren't you, huddled in the snow?" _

"Go…away…" Jack muttered, gritting his teeth. The nausea came back with a vengeance, making the spirit whimper.

And as quick as it started, it stopped.

The pain gradually faded and his stomach stopped churning. Gasping, Jack sat up, rolling up his hoodie. What he saw made him gasp.

In his side, where Pitch had hit him hours before, there was a large, black patch that looked suspiciously like nightmare sand. It looked like a spiderweb: smaller, thinner trails of black had spread slightly from the wound and outward. A small amount of heat radiated off the mark, and the spirit quickly coated it in a layer of frost.

Jack stared at his wound for a while on her before hastily pulling his hoodie back down.

_What…was that? _He wondered. He knew he should've been more alarmed, but sleep was tugging at his mind. The spirit fell back into the snowbank, asleep before he hit the ground.

**Please leave a review…I honestly don't care if it is a smiley face, as long as it is something to let me know what you think!**


	7. Not a Hobo Anymore

**Again I don't own rotg…**

**Enjoy!**

"Sandy! Iz nice to see you, no?"

The sandman was greeted with North's booming voice as soon as he entered through the large window in the globe room. Sandy smiled briefly at the Cossack in greeting and hovered to the ground.

"What can I do for you, old friend?" North asked, untangling the elf that was trapped in fairy lights next to him. Hurriedly, Sandy made a few fast symbols flicker on his head.

"Err…snow…snowflake?" North guessed as the elf skipped out of the room happily, dragging the lights behind it. "Ice…Err…frost? Oh! You mean Jack!" Sandy nodded.

"Is there something wrong?" North's smile morphed into a concerned frown as the sandman nodded sadly. "Can we help?"

Sandy smiled and nodded eagerly before resuming his symbols. North sat down in the large armchair, watching the sand.

"House?" North guessed as Sandy created a building above his head. The smaller guardian gave a thumbs up. Then, he created a big "X" above the house. North scratched his head.

"House…no house?" The Cossack hummed in thought. Sandy repeated the symbols again. A snowflake. A house. A cross.

"Jack…no house?" North muttered. The truth clicked. "Jack Frost has no house? No home?" He asked. Sandy nodded, his glow filling slightly with his mood.

North ran a hand down his face.

"How long?" He asked eventually, sighing. Sandy shrugged. There was silence for a few moments as both guardians were lost in thought. Suddenly, North sprang off his chair comically, a smile spreading across his face.

"Idea!" He boomed, beginning to pace. Sandy watched him, a smile on his lips. "We make Jack a home, yes? Then he iz no longer homeless!" The Cossack turned to the sandman, pausing in mid-step. "It could be here, were it iz cold!" Sandy beamed, nodding with his thumbs up.

"Phil!" North yelled. "Contact the other guardians, but not Jack! Trust me!"

—

A few minutes later, Bunny and Tooth arrived. Bunny was cursing under his breath whilst Tooth was looking around curiously.

"What is this about, North?" She asked, fluttering in the air nervously. "Why did a yeti come to my palace?" She scanned the room. "And where is Jack?"

"Late, probably." Bunny grumbled from the fire, massaging his feet. "Why _are _we here, North? Better be important."

"Jack is not here because the meeting is about him." North addressed, sitting in his chair. Before he could continue, Bunny scoffed.

"What has the li'l bugger done today?" He asked in amusement, whiskers twitching.

"Is there something wrong?" Tooth asked, shooting a glare at the Pooka.

"It iz about Jack's…home." North began to explain, but Bunny interrupted him.

"Ya tellin' me tha' I came all this way to hear that Frosty has a home?!"

"Bunny – "

"I froze my tail off and now – "

"That isn't – "

"Ya expect me to be happy?!"

"Jack is homeless!" North yelled, startling the Pooka. Breathing on deeply, he attempted to calm himself. "Jack…doesn't have a home."

Bunny lay his ears back whilst Tooth gasped.

"But The Man in the Moon gives us one when we become immortals, doesn't he?" The fairy asked in disbelief.

"That's what I thought." Bunny muttered, avoiding eye contact with the Cossack.

"That iz what we all thought." North said, sighing. "But not one of us asked."

Sandy made some symbols, but none of the guardians noticed them; they were all staring at the ground or at a wall.

"What about food?" Tooth asked after a long pause. When none of the guardians answered, she raised her voice. "He has something to eat, right?" She turned to Sandy, who was shaking his head.

"He hasn't anything to eat either?" Bunny asked no one in particular, seeing Sandy's answer. Sandy nodded and made a symbol above his head. A trash can.

All guardians said nothing, but all knew what they symbol meant – what exactly Jack ate.

"Well, what's the plan?" Bunny asked in the silence. North stood up from his chair so suddenly it was alarming, and his frown quickly changed into a smile.

"We make him a room!" The guardian announced. His expression turned quickly to determination. "But I will need your assistance."

"Sure thing, mate." Bunny, surprisingly, was the first one to volunteer. "No offence, but I'm the best painter here, if I say so myself." North nodded, smiling.

"That would be excellent." He said and turned to the other guardians.

"My fairies are good at decoration." Tooth suggested. "They would be glad to help."

"Good, Good…and Sandy?"

Sandy made a few symbols above his head.

"Heights…rope…" North guessed. "Oh – you can reach high things with your rope?"

Sandy nodded, smiling.

"Well then, it is sorted!" North clapped his hands together. "We start as soon as possible! And whatever happens – "

"—Don't tell Jack." The other guardians finished, smiling.

—

Jack grinned and tapped the window with the butt of his staff. The boy inside turned, confused, until he saw the spirit.

"Jack!" Jamie said happily, fiddling with the window latch. Jack waited patiently, smiling and frosting the window.

"Done it!" Jamie wrenched open and the spirit climbed inside, shaking off the snow on his shoulders.

"Hey kiddo." Jack greeted, ruffling the smaller boy's hair.

"Jack!" Jamie moaned, swatting away the cold hand. "You're messing up my hair…"

Jack's smile grew.

"Aw…didn't know you were trying to impress girls…" he teased, making Jamie blush, muttering something under his breath.

"I thought you weren't coming back 'till next winter." Jamie quickly changed the subject, looking up at his friend.

"You…don't want me here?" Jack pretended to look offended, placing a hand on his heart. "I didn't think you could be so _mean_."

"No! I like you here!" Jamie grinned, grabbing Jack's hand. "I can show you this new thing I brought!" Curiously, Jack let Jamie lead him to the other side of the room. The younger boy dug under his bed and pulled out a plastic pot.

"Wow, Jamie…it's a pot." Jack snorted. Jamie laughed.

"Look what's inside!" Jamie opened the lid and the spirit saw some thick, green stuff. He peered closer.

"That looks…yucky."

Jamie laughed again and (to Jack's horror) picked up the green substance in his hand. It leaked slightly from the gaps of his fingers, making Jack recoil.

"It's slime."

"_Slime_"

"Yup!"

"People _sell _slime?"

"Yup!"

"That's weird." Jack poked the slime in Jamie's hand. "Too squishy."

"It's cool…" Jamie countered. Jack grinned.

"And that's why we'll never see eye to eye." He said, swinging his staff. Jamie squashed the slime in his hand, making the spirit shudder. The brunette looked up suddenly, eyes widening.

"Look – the lights!" He pointed, and Jack span around. True to what Jamie said, the Northern Lights were cutting through the air – an odd sight seeing as it was the middle of the day.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Jack stretched, hopping onto the windowsill with unnatural grace. "Last time North wanted us over to play a chess tournament…"

Jamie laughed, relaxing slowly.

"So nothing life-threatening?" He asked. Jack smiled.

"Nope." He waved at the child. "See you soon, kiddo."

—

Jack drifted into the globe room, expecting the guardians to be seated around the table. However, there was nothing in sight apart from a sheet of paper.

The guardians hadn't really been…talking to him for a while.

_Not that I wasn't expecting this anyway, _Jack reminded himself, moving towards the paper. He skipped the words, but looked down at the large arrow pointing to the stairs. Shrugging, the spirit followed the arrow, dragging his staff over each step. Once he reached the top step, he found another arrow on a sheet of paper leading to the right of the hallway.

"Why so many arrows?" He muttered, obeying the symbol. Creating a frost trail behind him, he strolled down the hallway, glancing at the doors.

One door made him stop in his tracks.

There, in front of him, was a door blindingly different from the rest. It was blue instead of a basic brown, and a white snowflake was painted in the centre. Above it, another piece of paper had a arrow scrawled on it, pointing into the room.

Curiously, Jack pushed the door open, smiling at the sight before him.

The room was mainly decorated with long icicles on the ceiling and floor. There was a small desk beside a large window with a painted egg, a feather, a small rocking horse and a sand-dolphin placed in the centre. Opposite the desk was a large bed with blue covers.

This was his room.

A warm, unknown feeling spread through Jack – something that made an infectious grin spread across his face.

"Thanks guys!"

—

"Thanks guys!"

Safely hidden in a small living room, the guardians of hope, wonder, dreams and memories smiled.

**So…what do you want next? Another part of Infection? Please say…I aim to please **

**Thanks for all of those who reviewed or sent smiley faces (you know who you are). It is really appreciated.**

**See you next time!**


	8. Infection: Darkness

**Enjoy the next part!**

Jack was in a dark place. Not a metaphorical _dark place, _but an actual dark place. He literally couldn't see his own hand in front of him, which sucked.

He didn't even know how he got here. One minute he was sitting in a tree, and the next he was…here. Jack felt like he was missing something, and it didn't take long to figure out what.

"My staff." He whispered. Indeed, his staff, which had always been tight in his grasp, was gone. Jack squinted in the darkness. It didn't look like he was going to find it. Once realising this, he tried to escape from wherever he was, or at least find someone else.

"Is anyone here, or is it just me?" He questioned into the darkness. He tried to move but found that his limbs were completely paralysed.

"Great. Just great." Jack tried not to panic, attempting to move. During this he realised that he wasn't actually standing on any kind of ground; he seemed to be floating in the air.

"What the hell happened whilst I was asleep?!" Jack cried out in frustration, trying to turn his head. Nothing happened. Great.

Just great.

"Where am I?!" He yelled. No answers came, so he tried again. "Could anyone show me where I am or not?!" A few seconds after his words, a blinding light penetrated into the darkness. Jack blinked, shocked at the sudden brightness, and tried to see into the light.

A shadowed shape began to form, and the spirit squinted harder as it came into focus.

"Hey – that's the lake!" Jack shouted to no one, focusing on the image. He could see the familiar circle of trees and the snow that coated the grass. The image shifted and moved downwards so he was looking down at a reflection in the ice.

"Finally…some answers…" the spirit muttered, focusing once more as a face came into view. Two, large blue eyes…white hair…pale skin…

"Hey! That's me!" Jack yelled. But he was fairly sure he was _here_. Well, wherever he was.

The reflection in the ice suddenly smiled and waved, as if it knew he was watching. Then, it began to walk around the lake, twisting his staff.

"What is going on?" Jack muttered. He kept watching the "screen" as Not-Jack walked into the forest, unflinching as sharp stones dug into his feet. The spirit watching tried to move again, but made no progress.

With a sinking sense of dread, Jack realised he was helpless, and would just have to wait.

Not-Jack abruptly stopped and slowly looked down at a small wooden bed frame with a hole underneath. Not-Jack tilted his head and crouched, swinging its legs into the tunnel.

"No!" Jack yelled. "I'm not letting that happen!" The spirit tried to move again, closing his eyes in concentration, and felt his legs jolt. He smiled and the new movement; however, his joy was short lived at a strong wave of pain spread through his side. Gasping, Jack clutched the area, opening his eyes to look at the "screen" again. To his surprise, Not-Jack's legs had shifted too, awkwardly to the side.

"I told you I'm not letting that happen." The spirit grinned.

"_Soon you will." _A voice whispered close to his ear. It was the same voice he had been hearing since they defeated Pitch. However, what made Jack gasp in shock was the fact that Not-Jack had said the same words at the same time.

"What…What are you?" Jack whispered, trying to see in the darkness. The voice only laughed.

"_Only a little longer, I think…" _It whispered. Jack suddenly felt exhausted, and his eyelids started to close against his will. _"You will be weak enough soon…"_

"No chance…" Jack muttered, letting his eyes close. The voice just laughed.

—

Jack opened his eyes blearily, rubbing them with his palms. It took him a moment to realise where he was.

"Why am I here? Did I sleep walk?" Jack muttered, sitting up. He was lying next to a small wooden bed frame in a forest. Through the trees, he could see his lake, the ice glistening on the surface.

"Have I walked in my sleep before?" Jack muttered. A fogginess had began to settle in his brain, making it hard to think. His side was also hurting again, but not as bad as before. As if this was a reminder, Jack rolled up his hoodie and inspected the wound.

"It's grown…" the spirit traced the lines that had now spread up to his armpit and over his thigh. The skin was still hot to the touch – Jack was pretty sure that was bad. His skin had never been hot in his life.

Eyebrows furrowed, Jack tried to recall anything that might help him figure out why he was sleeping outside Pitch's old lair. However, after a few minutes of sitting uncharacteristically still, the spirit could only remember darkness, which didn't help.

"Better get outta here…" Jack suddenly realised fully where he was, and how annoyed the Boogeyman would be if he caught Jack Frost sitting outside his lair. He stood up, using his staff as a support, but only got halfway up before a large wave of nausea hit him. He collapsed back on his knees, clutching his stomach and breathing deeply. A headache was beginning to grow in his skull, and another roll of sickness took over him.

Suddenly, he lurched and threw up, dropping into his hands and knees. The spirit screwed up his eyes and his stomach constricted painfully, tears leaking through his eyelids.

As quickly as it started, it stopped and it took all of Jack's pride not to fall face first into his own sick. Arms trembling, he propped himself back onto his knees, wiping some sweat off his brow. His injured side was becoming more painful by the second, and he bit his lip to stop himself from screaming out.

"Ouch." Jack settled on muttering, panting. Slowly, he opened his eyes, wincing as the sunlight increased his headache. He looked down, expecting to see his own vomit.

"What?"

The puddle of vomit certainly didn't look healthy. Instead of a murky green or orange, it was a thick black – like tar. His confused and worried thoughts were interrupted, however, by a coughing fit.

Gasping, Jack clamped a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle the sounds. Eventually, the coughing fit died away, leaving the spirit with an aching chest and a fire-pain in his side.

"Ouch…" Jack repeated in a small whisper, drawing his hands away from his mouth. They were stained in the black liquid too, increasing his fear.

"Jack? You here?" A voice called, making Jack jump violently. He recognised the voice immediately as North's.

_What is he doing here?!_ The spirit screamed internally, wiping his hands on the ground. Unsteadily, he stood up, swaying alarmingly, and stumbled away from the black liquid he had vomited earlier. Still, he was aware that he still probably looked pale and tired, not to mention shaky. Using his staff as a crutch, he stumbled into the clearing, almost toppling over. Luckily, strong arms caught him before he could hit the ground. The spirit looked up and saw North holding him, his expression twisted in concern.

"Are you okay?" The older guardian asked gently.

His day literally couldn't get any worse.


	9. Poke

**Disclaimers are in the first chapter…**

**Remember guys! You can request anything you want me to write, but this chapter is just a rewrite of one of my older ones. **

**Enjoy!**

Jack had officially had enough.

It had been one hour and thirty-three minutes (he wasn't counting seconds) and he was still sitting in the same chair, in the same room, listening to the same talk.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one. Jack grinned at the sight of Sandy next to him, who had given up altogether and had fallen to sleep. If Jack could, he would do the same, but he couldn't. In fact, he wanted to do the complete opposite.

Jittering his leg rhythmically, the spirit chewed one of his nails in frustration. Never before in his life had he been made to sit down this long, and it was having some bad effects. Any moment now, Jack was sure he would spring out of his chair and fly out of the window, screaming.

Because it was only politeness that kept Jack caged in his seat at this point: at first he was actually interested in the meeting's subjects. Slowly, however, he realised that he really, _really_ wanted to leave. But the annoying, stupid, tiny section of goodwill in his brain has urged him to stay – and now he was paying the price. Big time. He could feel his powers building beneath his skin, and soon he was going to literally explode all over the guardians in a flurry of frost and snow. Some of his ice had even leaked out under his feet in delicate frost patterns that were now leading to Bunny's chair.

Alarmingly, Jack's face split into a huge grin.

_Now that's a good idea…_he laughed inwardly, pressing the butt of his staff down on the wooden floorboards. Ice snaked it's way across the ground and up Bunny's chair, coating it in a thick layer of frost. Grinning, Jack urged his ice forward until it crept down the Pooka's back.

The reaction was immediate.

"Frost!" Bunny yelled, flinging himself off his chair. The other guardians, who were currently seated next to him, shot a confused look at the spirit. He shrugged.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Bunny snarled, striding towards Jack.

"It was by accident. I sneezed." The spirit blinked owlishly at the Pooka towering over him, who had his teeth barred. "It happens sometimes. You just happened to be in the way." He finished calmly. Bunny's eye twitched.

"Pack of lies if I ever 'eard one!" He yelled, laying back his ears. "I was a good few metres in front of your frosted butt and unless you are a champion sneezer, there was no way ya could've reached me ya Derro*!"

"How do you know I'm not a sneezing champion?" Jack grinned. Bunny's eye twitched again.

"Bunny –" North warned, but the Pooka's yelling cut him off.

"THERE IS A PATH OF FROST COMIN' FROM YA CHAIR!" He bellowed. Jack just stared at him calmly, a grin creeping on his lips.

"Coincidence."

"Bunny!" North interrupted as Bunny took a deep breath, ready to yell again. "We have a meeting. Do not kill Jack." The Cossack turned to the spirit. "And Jack – don't provoke Bunny."

Jack flopped back into his chair, chewing his nail again. Bunny, after one last glare aimed at the spirit, moved back into his chair. The conversation resumed as if nothing had happened. Sighing, Jack turned to the clock.

It had been one hour forty minutes since the meeting started.

His leg started to twitch impatiently again, and his nails started drumming against the armrest. His so-called goodwill was rapidly fading from his mind.

Halfheartedly, Jack began to listen into the conversation.

"But chocolate rots teeth!" Tooth retorted to North, who was smiling and shaking his head.

"But they like the chocolate, no?"

"That's beside the point! If we could just cut down some of the chocolate at Easter and Christmas –"

"There's no way ya gonna make me cut down on my eggs."

Jack rested his head on his hand, bored. Soon enough, they would bring him – a "child's point of view" – into the argument and expect him to answer. As if his life wasn't hard enough.

An elf caught his attention suddenly as it slipped into the room, balancing a tray of cookies in his hands. Jack leaned forward excitedly at the treats displayed, and held out his staff to block the elf in its tracks.

"Hey! You!" He whispered, well-aware that Tooth was currently ranting about how cookies were bad for children's teeth.

The elf turned slowly, almost tripping over its own feet, and pointed stupidly at itself.

"Yeah!" Jack rolled his eyes before beckoning it over. "Come here!" The elf ambled over eagerly, holding the tray high above its head. Jack studied each of the cookies in turn before taking a chocolate chip one with white chocolate icing. The elf skipped towards North and the spirit watched it trip over, nibbling the edge of his cookie. None of the other guardians had noticed, and now the elf was rolling away, abandoning the tray. He snorted.

Taking another bite, Jack leant back in his chair, tucking in his knees. He began to count all of the holes in his hoodie.

_I need to sew this back up_, he noted mentally, poking his pinkie through one of the larger holes on his sleeve. He went to take another bite of his cookie, but bit air.

The cookie had gone.

Jack felt like crying out of boredom. Searching for something to do, the spirit picked up his staff. Suddenly, he was struck with another idea. A truly brilliant one, if he said so himself.

Slowly, Jack extended his staff, leaning forward and stretching out his arm.

Three seconds from contact. Two. One.

Frosted wood met grey fur, and for a few seconds Jack thought that Bunny hadn't felt the jab, and was preparing to do it again.

Bunny slowly turned his head around, glaring at the spirit with as much hatred as he could muster. Jack blinked back at him innocently, shrugging his shoulders.

"What?" He whispered, tilting his head in apparent confusion. Bunny scoffed and turned back to the conversation. Jack grinned.

Again, he extended his staff, careful to frost the end, and pressed hard onto the Pooka's back. Bunny ignored him.

_Poke_

_Poke_

_Poke-poke-poke_

Bunny's eat twitched, and Jack inwardly screamed with laughter. This Easter Bunny was getting driven to insanity.

_Poke poke_

_Poke_

_Poke-poke _

_POKE_

Jack jabbed Bunny particularly hard, frosting his fur.

Bunny exploded in a bomb of curses, leaping out of his chair and diving towards the spirit. Jack screamed and tried to escape, but the Pooka had size on his side and managed to flatten the skinny spirit easily, snarling. The chair toppled backwards and Jack managed to wiggle out from underneath the Pooka and dashed towards the hall. Bunny was quick to follow, dropping on all fours. The other guardians watched in amusement, hiding their laughter.

"I hope they don't mess up my workshop." North said into the silence.

A bang, followed by another scream sounded from above them. Bunny had managed to catch Jack, and now was probably going to kill him.


	10. Chained Together

**Hello again everybody! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Enjoy!**

Jack Frost didn't get on with the Easter Bunny. It was a well known fact that the two immortals always seemed to provoke the other – or that Jack Frost like to provoke the Easter Bunny. Even so, the two seasons should never have to meet; lots of spirits theorised that this was the reason behind their fights.

And North was not one to argue with the facts. He could see for himself that the two didn't get on from the corner, sat in his favourite (and biggest) armchair. But now, really, it was just getting plain annoying.

The arguments wouldn't come suddenly – the way Bunny would walk into the room was a good source of finding out what mood he was in. For example, if he was cursing under his breath about the cold and had his ears pressed against his skull like he had done that morning, it was solid proof that the one and only Jack Frost had got the better of him. Whether that was freezing his Warren in secret or encouraging his eggs to stay at the Antarctica, Jack had managed to do so under the Pooka's nose without getting caught – in short, he had won the game.

And Bunny was the worst sore loser in history.

So then the argument would begin, as soon as Jack lazily drifted through the window, a soft smile hiding the latter if his amusement. He would ignore Bunny completely, choosing to talk to person that was the furthest away from him. And so, the first, well chosen comment would be uttered from the younger's mouth, risking a side glance at the Pooka.

North rubbed his temple, muttering in Russian, as the shouting reached its breakpoint. A gust of cold air and an angry yell informed The Cossack Jack had just froze Bunny's mouth shut.

"That's better." The spirit laughed before lunging away; Bunny had leapt towards him, snarling.

"You'll pay for that!" The Pooka yelled, breaking the ice sealing his mouth. He threw a boomerang at Jack but missed, almost hitting North.

That was enough.

North shot a meaningful glance at Sandy and the golden man nodded, pulling out two dream ropes. Quickly, he wrapped one around Bunny's waist, making him fall to the ground, and caught Jack by his ankle, making him dangle in midair. Both of them started yelling at the sandman simultaneously, forgetting about their fight.

"Silence!" North ordered. They both became silent. "Good. Now, I will not tolerate fighting in here." He said dangerously low, standing up and drawing out his swords. "Do you understand?"

"Cottontail started it!" Jack cried out as he turned slowly in the air, pointing at the accused.

"Tha' is the worst lie I ever heard! Ya froze my eggs to trees!"

"I was decorating!"

"Decorating my arse –"

"QUIET!" North yelled, pointing his swords at each of the arguing guardians. "Can you ever have a civil conversation with another?!"

"No!" Both Bunny and Jack snapped back, arms folded.

"Well…" Tooth began, a smile creeping on her face. "What if you spent more time together?"

"No way!"

"He sucks?"

"Wha' did ya say to me?!"

"You heard!"

"Oh, I'm not saying you have a choice." Tooth answered calmly, her smile growing wider. North began to laugh.

"That iz it! Why did I not think of that before!" He yelled. Bunny and Jack shared a concerned glance at another, eyes widening. "Sandy, if you may…"

The sandman nodded, copying Tooth's smile, and dropped Jack onto the floor. Jack cried out in surprise, Lansing hard on his side. Sandy then approached him, holding out what looked like a golden set of handcuffs.

"No! No way!" Jack tried to scramble away but North tackled him to the floor, holding out an arm.

"You can't do this!" Jack shrieked as Bunny began cursing under his breath, trying to struggle out of the ropes. "I don't want to die! He'll kill me! No!" Sandy nodded and attached one of the cuffs to Jack's slender wrist. Then, dragging a crying Jack mercilessly behind him, Sandy attached the other end of the cuff to Bunny's wrist. The ropes disappeared from the Pooka's middle, and he immediately tried to claw the chain off himself.

"You can't take it off." Tooth said sweetly. Bunny growled.

"He'll freeze my Warren!"

"Hey, l didn't exactly want this either, Kangaroo!"

"I ain't a kangaroo."

"That's what you tell yourself."

"Enough!" North shouted. The two bickering guardians looked over to him, blinking.

"You can't honestly be serious about this?" Jack asked, jiggling the chain.

"This meeting is over!" North ignored Jack's question and began to exit the room. Smiling, he called over his shoulder, "Have a good time!"

"How?!" Jack cried out as Bunny cursed (yet again). But North just ignored them, waving backwards as he exited the room with the remaining guardians.

"Well, I gotta go freeze some places." Jack turned to Bunny, rolling his eyes. "So you are coming with me." Bunny scoffed.

"I'm gonna go to my Warren, and I'd like to see ya try and stop me." He growled, tugging Jack forward.

"Ow." Jack muttered, rubbing his wrist. "That was pretty mean. I can walk."

"Yeah, and I don't care." Bunny retorted, tapping his foot onto the ground. A rabbit hole appeared beside them, and without hesitation, Bunny jumped through. Jack yelled out in surprise as he was dragged with him, falling through the hole.

—

They landed in a heap of tangled limbs, rolling out onto the grass. Jack rolled out from under Bunny, half amused, half annoyed.

"I thought you could ride these tunnels." He said, raising one of his eyebrows. He stood up unsteadily, grabbing his staff. "Yet here we are, falling flat on our faces…how graceful."

"I've never had to drag a stupid frosty-ass with me." Bunny grumbled, glaring at the spirit. He sighed. "At least it's warm back in here."

Jack grinned.

"Not for long…" he sang, twirling his staff. Suddenly, he was on the floor and getting pinned down by a very angry rabbit.

"Don't you even think about it!" The Pooka warned; Jack squirmed a little under his grip, but still smiling slightly.

"Keep your fur on…I can't fly away when I'm attached to you…" he said, twisting out from his grasp. He looked around, twisting slightly on one foot.

"Well what now?" He asked. Bunny sighed.

"I'm gonna paint some eggs. Ya can entertain yourself." He replied, walking over to the oak tree that was in the centre of the Warren.

"How am I meant to entertain myself when I can't use my powers?" Jack moaned, reluctantly walking after the other guardian.

"Figure it out."

_THUMP_

"What the?" Bunny turned around and saw Jack had dropped himself to the ground, and was staring up at the Pooka.

"I don't wanna be bored." Jack whined, kicking his legs slightly at the statement.

"And why are ya on the floor?" Bunny asked.

"I'm on strike."

Growling, Bunny kept walking, dragging Jack behind him.

**Please review or just put a **** in the comments…just so I know whether you like it or don't, as this is a new idea for me.**

**Thanks!**


	11. Infection: Help

**Hullo everyone! Hope you like the next part to Infection!**

**Enjoy!**

_The spirit looked up and saw North holding him, his expression twisted in concern. _

"_Are you okay?" The older guardian asked gently. _

_His day literally couldn't get any worse. _

—

Jack blinked up at the older guardian, weighing up his options.

On one hand, he _really _wanted to feel better again, or at least stop being in pain. As if a reminder, his side flared again, making him almost topple over.

On the other hand, he was talking to someone he only just met, and that was only because the world was in danger. Sure, North seemed like a nice guy – it would be much easier talking to him than Bunny – but the spirit didn't feel secure in asking for help. He had been just fine before he met the guardians, so why couldn't he sort himself out now?

"I'm good…just tripped." Jack replied, trying not to "trip" again. North seemed to accept the answer, and laughed lightheartedly. "Err…why are you here, anyway?"

"I give you message from me!" The Cossack replied joyfully, clapping his hands together. Jack raised his eyebrow a fraction.

"Okay…what is it?" He asked, leaning further on his staff. A headache was beginning to form at the back of his head.

"I have decided to do monthly meeting from now on. To stay in touch, and to discuss things!" North answered proudly. Jack slipped a little on his staff as his fogged mind progressed the answer.

"Err…meetings?" He looked up at North, who was now looking at him in concern.

"Are you sure you are fine?" The older guardian asked, eyeing the spirit in concern. Jack weakly waved a hand dismissively.

"Yeah yeah…just tired." He changed the subject. "Didn't you have meetings before?"

"No – we didn't even talk much! But I change that, no?" North pulled out something from his pocket and the spirit watched curiously. After a few more seconds of searching, North pulled out a small snow globe and handed it to Jack, who took it carefully.

"What's this for?" Jack asked, staring down at the ornament. North chuckled.

"Iz for you. I forgot to give it." North's hand dived into his pocket again and pulled out a larger snow globe. "All guardians get one. You just whisper the location, and smash it on ground – is handy, no?"

"Yeah…yeah…" Jack's eyelids felt heavily, and he clumsily tucked the ornament into his hoodie pocket. "Thanks." He added. North smiled.

"Iz nothing." North smashed his snow globe onto the ground, and a portal erupted in a flash of colour.

"Oh! One more thing!" North stopped in mid-step. "First meeting iz today, so look out for the lights!" And with that, the guardian jumped through the portal with surprising grace, leaving Jack alone at last.

"Today…" The spirit let his knees sink to the floor, fighting back the nausea which had now returned to his stomach. He tried to shift into a comfier position, but his side erupted with pain, causing him to scream and clutch it. The spirit fell into a lying position, shivering feverishly. His staff dropped with a dull _clunk_ beside him. Moaning, Jack curled in on himself, closing his eyes.

"Today…" he repeated in a whisper, feeling the tug of sleep tempt him.

"_Come on now, sleep sounds good, doesn't it?" _The voice persuaded; Jack agreed wholeheartedly and let his mind rest. He thought he heard laughter surround him.

—

Bunny was angry. After a good hour Jack Frost hadn't shown up to _the first _guardian meeting, though North has said he had told the spirit.

"Could something be wrong?" Tooth asked for the tenth time, fluttering anxiously above her seat.

"Doubt it." Bunny answered, close to a snarl. "Everyone knows he's just a lazy, careless spirit."

"Bunny!"

"It's true!" Bunny defended. "We all thought tha' – I still think it – so why is everythin' so different now?"

"He iz guardian." North answered, rising from his chair. He said the next comment more to himself. "He did seem a little tired when I saw him."

"We need to check!" Tooth said slightly hysterically, "What if he's hurt?"

Sandy waved to try and get their attention, but no one saw him. After a period of silence, Bunny growled.

"I'm gonna drag his icy butt up here and then you'll see he's fine." He grumbled, dropping into one of his rabbit holes.

Bunny landed a few metres away from Burgess lake, covered in snow. In fact, the whole area seemed to be going through a mini snowstorm, much to the Pooka's dismay.

"Bloody cold!" He yelled, shivering. Cursing, he hopped through the ankle-deep snow towards the centre of the lake. He figured that it was the most likely location for the spirit, seeing as North said he found him there.

"I'm gonna kill 'im." Bunny sniffed the air carefully, finally finding Jack's scent. Shaking snow off his fur, he followed it. Through the haze of snowflakes, the Pooka could make out a familiar figure.

"Oi! Frosty!" He yelled, moving closer. Jack didn't respond to his jibe, and kept staring in the same direction. "Frostbite!" Bunny was now standing in front of the spirit but it seemed like he couldn't see him, or was aware of his presence.

"Jack!"

Suddenly, as if surfacing from deep water, Jack's body jolted and he stumbled backwards breathing heavily. Bunny watched as the spirit looked around, apparently confused.

"Were…why am I here?…" the murmur was almost inaudible.

"Could ya stop the snow?!" Bunny yelled. Jack turned to face him unsteadily, apparently just aware of his presence. However, that wasn't the reason why the Pooka felt a small piece of concern stir in his mind.

In short, Jack didn't look well at all: he had large bags under his eyes and a pink flush in his cheeks. His eyes were unfocused and his limbs were trembling, an indication that he had a fever of some sort. He also seemed to be doubled over slightly in pain, and Bunny no longer cared about the snow.

"Oh…err…sorry…" Jack replied, looking at his staff in confusion. Bunny sniffed the air again, surprised to find that another, more unpleasant scent was clinging to Jack's body. The smell was familiar to him, and an old memory stirred from his mind.

Jack suddenly swayed alarmingly, and the Pooka lunged forward, catching the spirit before he hit the ground. The younger guardian immediately curled in on himself, clutching his side whilst moaning softly.

"What's wrong?!" Bunny asked in a mild state of panic, unaware of the frost that had crept up his arms. Jack writhed in pain in his arms, panting.

"It hurts…please stop it…PLEASE!" Jack's last plea was a scream and he curled up smaller, radiating with heat.

"I'm gonna try, Frosty…hang on…" Bunny soothed, not experienced in this kind of situation. There was no way he was prepared for this to happen – he just wanted to get the meeting started, not kneel on the ground with a very sick Jack Frost.

Gently, Bunny began to roll up Jack's hoodie, removing the hand that was clutched there.

"Shit." The Pooka cursed, staring down at the wound. Black, spiderweb-like trails of black were spreading up the younger's body before his eyes, wrapping around his chest and neck. More memories flashed before Bunny's eyes as he stared at the injury. Memories of pain. War. The Dark Ages.

Jack's whimper brought him back to reality, and he held the suffering spirit closer to him.

"We're gonna get ya help, ya here me?" He reassured. Jack nodded weakly, swallowing thickly. "How are ya feelin' now?"

"Not…not that great…" Jack muttered. "Pretty hor –" he suddenly broke off and started reaching. Bunny quickly flipped the spirit over so he was on his knees and away from his lap. With a gag, Jack threw up, his body shivering violently. The Pooka's eyes widened as he saw the black tar substance come out of the spirit's mouth. The familiar, unpleasant hit him again, stronger this time.

Jack had finished vomiting, but was now leaning onto Bunny heavily, gasping for air. His whole body shook with tremors and was burning up. Without hesitation, Bunny let Jack fall back into his arms.

"Ya gonna be jus' fine, ya hear me?" Jack didn't answer, but Bunny saw his eyelids flicker shut.

"No!" Bunny's sharp shout made Jack jump, and open his eyes again. "Don't fall asleep yet, okay?"

Jack's clouded eyes met his own green, and the spirit nodded slightly.

"Good." Bunny stood up as carefully as he could, but Jack gave a hoarse scream before he could straighten fully. The spirit writhed in his arms, panting. With the action, something small rolled out of his hoodie pocket, landing silently at the Pooka's feet. Bunny kicked the snow-globe at a nearby tree and a portal formed out of the fragments.

"Ya gonna be okay, just ya wait an' see." Bunny muttered to the spirit in his arms, slowly stepping through the portal.


	12. Still Chained Together

**Enjoy!**

**Summary **

**They are still stuck with each other, and Bunny learns something new but fairly obvious about Jack.**

Jack tugged the chain again, making Bunny almost topple over. His egg wasn't so lucky, and it now had a large streak of paint across it.

"Why did ya do that?!" Bunny yelled, a few of his eggs scattering as he stood up. Jack was crouching a few footsteps ahead of him, the chain holding him upright as he leaned forward, his hand stretching out for something. His staff was tightly clutched in the other, frost spreading from underneath it. At the shout, Jack turned to face him, his heals digging in the dirt. The spirit's face was also smudged with mud, and the Pooka began to wonder what exactly Jack had been doing whilst he was painting his eggs. It was a well-known fact that the spirit of winter couldn't handle boredom for more than a minute – he was the guardian of _fun, _after all – but he hadn't made a sound after the first few minutes of being in the Warren.

"Followin' the butterfly." Jack answered simply, not letting his gaze leave the spot in front of him.

"A…butterfly…" Bunny echoed, raising an eyebrow. Jack didn't notice.

"Yup!" Jack grinned, shuffling slightly closer. "Look…"

Bunny rolled his eyes and looked over to where the spirit's finger pointed. A blue butterfly was resting on a flower, gently fluttering its wings.

"Can we do something _fun _now?" Jack was back to being bored. He rolled onto his back and looked at the Pooka with wide eyes. "This is boring."

"Not for me. I'm paintin' eggs. Shut ya trap and wait." Bunny answered, sitting back onto the grass and grabbing a new egg. He pulled out a paintbrush and effortlessly started to paint. He could feel Jack's curious stare on him for a few seconds before he felt another sharp tug on the chain that actually did make him slip to the side.

"What are ya doin'?!" Bunny yelled, wiping the paint that had streaked his fur onto the grass. Jack looked up from his sprawled position on the ground, sheepish.

"Err…I tried to do a cartwheel…" he admitted, smiling. Bunny sighed.

"No more cartwheels." He ordered.

"But what am I supposed to do?!" Jack asked, sitting cross legged on the grass. He tapped one of the blades and a layer of ice coated it.

"Don't do tha'!" Bunny said, whacking Jack's hand away. Jack gave a moody "Ow." The Pooka day back under the tree, relishing the warmth that had broke through the clouds.

"Do somthin' else." Bunny said, "and don't mess with my paintin' again or I'll scrag ya neck."

"I am offended." Jack said, mock-hurt. Bunny watched as he squinted up at the sun. "Could we go sit in the shade?" He asked, fidgeting. Bunny rolled his eyes, thinking it was a lame excuse to stop him from painting. The stupid spirit will then probably try and fly away, dragging him behind. Shuddering slightly at the mental image, Bunny shook his head.

"No. Ya stay here. The sun won't kill ya."

"How do you know?" Jack muttered, grabbing his staff with both hands. The spirit shuffled over to the tree, trying to get into some small amount of shade. Bunny just decided to continue painting his egg, hoping that it wouldn't be ruined by the last.

Bunny didn't know how long he had sat there, painting various eggs – sometimes he could go days without sleeping, entirely focused on his work – but he had managed to get no short than twenty done, so he predicted that it had been a few hours. The sun was sinking slowly in the air, and the Pooka found himself studying the chain that bound his wrist, tugging it slightly. It did seem unbreakable – he could see some areas where Jack had spread some frost in an act to free himself, and there was a small chip from where Bunny had thrown an egg bomb at it; it didn't seem any weaker, however, and he was forced to admit that Sandy was the only one who could remove it, and that it wouldn't be any time soon.

Bunny began to let his mind wonder, and soon he found that he was quite hungry, and he was thinking of the vegetarian casserole that he had cooked the day before. Sighing, he got up, groaning as each of his bones popped. He was surprised, however, when the chain jerked, almost pulling him downwards once more.

"Frosty – get up! I wanna eat!" Bunny looked down, and the rest of his words died in his throat as he saw the unusual sight in front of him.

Jack Frost was asleep.

His head was resting in the dent of the tree trunk, his legs sprawled out at an odd angle. One of his arms was stuffed in his hoodie pocket, the other hugging his staff like a teddy bear.

"Idiot." Bunny grunted, pushing the spirit with his foot. Jack moaned a little but didn't wake up, rolling more into his side.

"Bloody great." The Pooka kicked Jack harder and Jack stirred, opening his eyes.

"Wha?" He slurred, blinking owlishly. Bunny twitched his ear in annoyance.

"I'm goin' inside – an' that means ya are too." He said, tugging the chain. "Get up."

"No…" Jack closed his eyes again, breathing softly through his mouth. "I'm tired." Looking closer, Bunny noticed that the spirit looked slightly paler – maybe a shade or two above what he usually was – and his breathing sounded a little uneven.

As if it was trying to remind him, the sun suddenly shone onto onto his back, warming up his fur. However, Jack cursed under his breath at the sudden light, turning away from it.

"Ya stayed out in the sun too long, ya Gumby." Bunny felt annoyance spike in his chest. Jack sighed, opening his eye a crack again.

"Yeah…warned you…" he muttered, rubbing his eye. Bunny's annoyance died immediately, recalling Jack's warning earlier.

"How ya feelin' now?" Bunny asked. Jack looked up at him, looking surprised by the question.

"Err…tired…the usual…" Jack closed his eyes again. Bunny sighed, tugging the chain again.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"To my house."

"You have a _house_?"

"I don't live outside!"

"Just come on." Bunny sighed. Jack smiled and stumbled to his feet unsteadily, rubbing his eyes. The two guardians slowly made their way to the tree in the centre of the Warren, Jack freezing the grass slightly as he trailed behind. Bunny stopped once they reached the great oak, and crouched into a small tunnel to the side of it.

"Come on." The Pooka grumbled and Jack followed, smiling despite his exhaustion. The tunnel lead into a round, circular room with many other tunnel openings on the walls and ground, each one of them leading to a different area in the Warren.

The room itself was quite simple – it had no rugs or windows, not much furniture excluding the shelves on the walls full of paints and paintbrushes, and along the ground there were some large chests full of mystery.

"Oi!"

Jack was about to look in one of these chests when Bunny called him over, standing by a large tunnel.

"In 'ere." The Pooka ordered, tugging the spirit forward with the chain. Jack stumbled forwards, too tired to complain. He _really _hated the sun. And summer in general. And spring.

Jack ducked through the curtain of ivy, and found himself standing in what seemed to be a kitchen. To the right a clutter of worktops were crowded, each holding pots and pans and vegetables. A small window was shining a few strips of light onto the small dining table, and Jack gratefully collapsed into the chair next to it, letting his head drop onto the tabletop.

Bunny had his back turned, and was filling up a glass of water from the worn sink. When it was almost brimming, the older guardian turned. The chain jolted suddenly and he spilt some of the water down himself, cursing.

"Frost!" Bunny's anger faded, however, when he saw that the small spirit had fallen asleep on the chair, snuffling slightly. Feeling a small smile twitch on his face, Bunny places the glass beside the spirit's arm and sat down on the chair next to his. A few eggs scuttled over to him, and he began to paint, occasionally glancing at the guardian beside him.

**Please say whether you liked it or not – and if you didn't notice, I am now including small summaries for each story, so you know what's coming.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	13. Infection Spreads

**Hello again!**

**I disclaim…and enjoy!**

**Summary:**

**Things only get worse, and Bunny tells his tale.**

Bunny almost dropped Jack as he stumbled into the Workshop, his eyes wide with panic. Jack just groaned, screwing his eyes up tight.

"It's alrigh', almost there…" Bunny gave a quick reassurance to the younger one. "North! Tooth! Sandy! Ya gotta come quick!" He shouted and Jack wailed slightly in his arms.

"Bunny! What –" North came striding in first, holding out one of his swords. It took one look of the state of Jack for him to pale slightly. "Put him on that sofa, quickly." Bunny obeyed, gently lowering the spirit onto the soft cushions. Jack opened his eyes a crack, blearily taking in his surroundings.

"What is wrong with him?" North asked as Tooth and Sandy entered the room, gasping at what they saw. Bunny didn't take his eyes off the spirit when he replied.

"He's _Infected, _Nick – just like the Dark Ages." He whispered. North swore in Russian, running a hand down his face.

"How much longer has he got?" The Cossack asked, dropping his sword.

"Not long – we need to fix him up quick, or we're gonna loose him."

Meanwhile, Sandy had detached himself from the conversation as soon as the word _Infected _hit his ears. He was now standing at Jack's side, gently sprinkling some dream sand over his trembling figure. Jack didn't seem to react, but the sandman continued regardless, hoping to ease the child's suffering.

"_Infected?_" Tooth's shocked voice rang out, pulling Sandy back into the conversation. "When? How? Something like that hasn't been seen in –"

"Thousands – if not millions – of years, I know." Bunny absentmindedly tranced the scar running down his arm. "I thought that it wasn't possible anymore."

A harsh, dry coughing sound broke the conversation, and all the guardians moved immediately to Jack's side. The spirit had curled in on himself as coughs ripped from his body, leaving him gasping. A black substance began to leak from the young EE's mouth, and North cursed again.

"Sandy!" He yelled; the sandman was already in action, placing his hands on Jack's forehead. Closing his eyes, a pulse of bright light was created in the palm of his hands, and, when it made contact with Jack's skin, the spirit visibly relaxed, sighing quietly. Tooth carefully wiped the black liquid from his mouth.

"Jack?" The fairy asked. Jack stirred and opened his eyes, looking around slowly.

"How are you feeling?" North asked once the spirit settled, staring up at the guardians. They watched as the younger weighed up the question, closing his eyes in thought.

"Not that great." Jack replied quietly. More awake now, he tilted his head to look at the room they were in. "How…what happened?" He whispered. Bunny stepped in.

"What do ya remember?" He asked. Jack furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"I wasn't feeling great…and…then I think I passed out? Fell asleep? I dunno…" Jack nestled further into the cushions, letting his eyes close. "Then…I woke up somewhere else. And Bunny was there." Bunny gave the spirit a light pinch on the arm to keep him awake.

"Do you mind if we see your injury?" North asked, making a mental note of the information. Jack nodded slightly, swallowing thickly.

Slowly, North rolled up Jack's hoodie (under Bunny's instructions) and stared in shock at the injury.

"It's got bigger." Bunny said into the silence.

"We need to destroy it immediately." North rolled up his sleeves, jumping into action. "Tooth, will you prepare him a bed in the infirmary?"

"Right away." Tooth replied, already halfway across the room.

"Sandy, will you help me make the…equipment?" North said grimly. Sandy nodded. "Thank you."

"I'll stay with the li'l bugga." Bunny volunteered, watching Jack shift and open his once more. "Someone's gotta hell him what's goin' on." North nodded in approval and headed out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Bunny perched at the end of the sofa, running a hand down his face. His scar began to itch annoyingly beneath his fur, and he was about to scratch it when Jack spoke.

"What's going on?" He whispered, his eyes clouded with confusion and fever. "What are they talking about?"

"We're gonna fix ya – make ya back to ya frosty self again." Bunny forced his voice to sound carefree.

"Oh." Jack closed his eyes again, breathing unevenly. "How?"

"Sorry?"

"How are they going to fix me?"

"With equipment, and dream sand." Bunny hoped Jack didn't see him flinch as he remembered all too well his experience.

"Will it hurt?" Jack asked. Bunny looked away.

"Err…a little." That was an understatement.

"Why do I need to be fixed?" Jack asked, voice growing quieter as he grew more exhausted.

"You have some dark sand inside of ya." Bunny explained. Jack's eyes grew wide.

"Inside of me?"

"Yeah…Pitch did it to ya when he hit ya."

"Oh." Jack repeated, coughing again slightly. He bit his lip, looking away from Bunny.

"It happened to me too, ya know." Bunny said, noticing the spirit's fright. Heck, he had every reason to be scared. "Way back in the dark ages." Bunny began. Jack, despite his weakened state, turned to face him more, groaning as it irritated his injured side.

"You got hurt?"

"Yeah…like you, I didn't tell anyone – I figured it was just a normal injury, y'know? Ya see, in the dark ages, we didn't have enough time to relax and rest. Pitch was takin' over the world, and we were fightin' for our lives.

North saw me in pain though, and took me to the infirmary in here, an' we saw tha' I had a big mark, similar to yours, goin' up my arm. I still got the scar," The Pooka traced his fingers along his arm, all the way down to his wrist. "Tha' stays forever, which is a bugger." Bunny paused as he recalled the next events.

"Ya see, the purpose of an _Infection, _as me an' North eventually called it, is to break up ya mind an' take ya over."

"Take…over?" Jack breathed. Bunny nodded grimly.

"Ya become a puppet. Anyway, I was treated before that could happen, and ya are gonna be too." The Pooka reassured when Jack looked unsure. "But ya have to stay strong, an' don't let the shadows win. Promise me?"

Jack blinked at the sudden fierceness in Bunny's words. He nodded slowly, too tired to say anything.

"How are ya feelin'?" Bunny picked up on the spirit's behaviour and bent slightly over him to check his temperature. Jack groaned.

"Worse…" he muttered, closing his eyes.

"Worse how?" Bunny asked sharply. Jack moaned again.

"My side really hurts…I feel sick…my head hurts…and I'm hot…" Jack said slowly, curling up again. "I'm pretty thirsty…"

"I'll get ya some water." Bunny said, rising from the sofa. Jack didn't acknowledge him, but screwed his eyes up tightly, breathing quickly. The Pooka took one more fleeting glance at the spirit before dashing out of the room, not liking leaving him unsupervised. In truth, Jack had already had the _Infection _much longer than Bunny ever had – it had only been a few hours before North had discovered his injury. But Jack?

Probably days – even maybe a week.

The dark sand would already be trying to corrupt his mind, and trying to weaken the spirit by making him sick. Bunny just hoped that they could still save Jack before the dark sand took him over completely.

**Please review, and don't forget to request your ideas! Thanks!**


	14. Fun and Games

**Summary:**

**Sometimes Jack likes to act weird and play games.**

**Enjoy!**

Jack sprinted down the hallway, sliding into the room closest. Slowly, he peaked his head out of the doorway, catching his breath.

No monster in sight. Good.

Grinning, he moved into a crouching position as he listened to the talks downstairs. His poor comrades were trapped down there with the great beast, confused and probably terrified. Jack knew he would be if he was faced with that situation.

The spirit pulled out a flat rock from his hoodie pocket and held it close to his mouth, beginning his daily report of the day.

"Day two of the beast's escape." Jack began, sighing into the "recorder". "And unfortunately it has already claimed one life." He closer his eyes, remembering the poor elf that had got run over by the monster's huge feet. It didn't stand a chance. "But I am staying strong for the others. They need a strong leader.

"Currently I am hiding in a room in what is commonly known as the North Pole, or Santa's Workshop. For how many more days I have to stay here is unknown, but I am on my own…it is going to be hard, especially seeing as the beast is hunting every step I take. If this recording is found before I am, I have one final wish – tell my team that they were the worst, seeing as they didn't save me…unless they have already died. Then I apologise, and my last wish is to slingshot me off one of those rollercoaster things that the humans have; I've always fancied going on those, alive or dead. Can you image my body just flying across a city?!" Jack laughed at the mental image of his supposedly dead body shooting across the sky. "Ah well, no humans will see it but my ghost certainly will…" Suddenly, a loud bang echoed down the halls, followed by a flurry of heavy footsteps.

"Oh no! It's found me!" Jack cried out, shoving the stone back into his pocket. "Run!" The spirit bolted out of the doorway and scrambled up a bookshelf and onto the rafters above. His staff, tragically, had been stolen by the monster itself and now was lying in the depths of its lair. As Jack began to cross the rafters, his stone slipped out of his pocket and made a loud clunk as it hit the ground. Jack felt tears brim into his eyes.

"My recorder…" He whispered, reaching a hand out. It was no use. It was gone.

Or was it?

Was Jack willing to risk his life for his "recorder", which held all of his desperate thoughts?

Yes, yes he was.

"This could be a danger for the mission." Jack muttered, swinging himself onto the bottom rafter, eyes darting for any sign of the monster. "But because I'm so brave, I'm going to do it. I'll be a hero." The spirit flipped himself around so he was hanging by his legs, about to drop to the ground when it came.

Feet pounding the floorboards, eyes shining a wicked green, the beast had found him. One of its impossibly large ears twitched and it opened its mouth to say something, but Jack didn't give it the chance.

"Retreat!" He screamed, abandoning the stone for the monster to eat. He scrambled up the rafters again but the monster caught his ankle. Jack screamed again.

"Back beast!" The spirit yelled and kicked it in the face, hitting its twitching nose. Not wasting any time, Jack slid past the monster and down the stairs once more, stumbling the last few steps. On the ground, there lay a stick and Jack picked it up, speaking into it like it was a microphone.

"Star Command, can you read me?" He yelled as he shot through a room with a few elves in it. His crew!

"Thank god! You chums are alive!" He cried out, pulling them into a hug. "Dingle, I thought the beast took you for sure!" Dingle the elf looked confused, pointing at himself. Jack eyes widened and he gasped loudly. "You stabbed it?! Well done old chum!" He patted the bewildered elf on the back. "I shall ask Star Command to promote you!" Dingle smiled stupidly, showing off to the other elves. Suddenly, a loud yell came from the room behind him.

"What the bloody hell is goin' on?!"

Jack gasped again, standing up.

"By god…the beast is learning our language!" He turned to the elves. "You know what this means right? It's _evolving_." He shuddered and, with a last thumbs up at Dingle, sprinted out of the room and into the next.

"Star Command, do you copy?!" He yelled into his stick. "Drat." He muttered, pocketing the object. "I must have no signal here." Charging through a slim corridor, Jack realised that he was standing on a bridge. Looking down, he almost fainted at what he saw.

Monsters.

Not like the one that was hunting him, though – these had no ears and a lot more fur, and were wider that his chaser. They spoke in garbled grunts an gestures, but what was most disturbing was the things that they were working on.

At first glance, he thought that they were making toys, but then he reminded himself that misters did not make toys. These were weapons. Wooden planes, metal robots and small rocking horses were crowding the tables.

"They have overrun!" Jack yelled, fishing the stick out of his pocket again.

"Star Command, do you copy?!" He scanned the beasts beneath him. "I have found the mother base. I repeat, I have found the mother base! The beasts are evolving I tell you! EVOLVING!" The spirit quickly glanced at the door to make sure no one was entering yet. So far, so good. "We need to send teams here immediately to stop them before they breed! They seem to be making weapons to deposit around the world, and if they win, we are DOOMED!"

A loud crash made him jump, and the door was almost thrown off its hinges. The beast was standing in the doorway, holding what seemed to be a boomerang in one of its huge paws.

"What are ya doin'?!" The monster asked in an innocent voice, but Jack wasn't falling for it. Shrieking, he dashed to the other side of the bridge and out of the other door. The heavy drum of footsteps behind him made the spirit run faster, sliding across the polished floors and into the largest room the prison he was in.

"Star Command, do you read me?!" He panted into the stick. Star Command didn't answer again, so the spirit decided to use a table as cover until he could get better signal.

"Jack?" Black boots came into his view, followed by a bearded face.

"Captain North!" Jack breathed. "You're alive!" North looked confused, so Jack tried to explain. "I thought you got killed by the beast."

"What beast?!" North asked. Jack facepalmed.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Captain! We have a mission!" He ordered.

"Oi!" Am Aussie accent echoed through the room and Jack quickly flattened himself onto the floor, whispering: "the beast is here…"

North, hearing Jack's comment, let out a booming laugh.

"I understand now!" He laughed. "Is good joke, no?"

"I told you, no time for joking." Jack whispered. "Captain! It can see you! Hide!" He was right – the monster walked forwards, placing the weapon back in his belt.

"Do ya know what the bloody hell is going on?" The beast asked.

"Don't talk to it!" Jack yelled. "Just stay still – I'll call backup!" He cried into his stick, or "microphone": "Star Command! Captain Jack is calling for urgent backup! I repeat – urgent backup NOW!"

"He does this sometimes when he is bored." North whispered.

"Good idea! Distract it whilst I stab it!" Jack said, raising his stick in the air and crawling out from under that table.

"I will not!" The beast growled, lunging forwards. Jack didn't have time to dodge as the monster's paws caught the back of his hoodie, and his stick dropped to the ground. Jack shrieked as he was tossed in the air and slung over the monster's back.

"The beast has got me!" The spirit screamed, wiggling in the monster's arms. "Captain North! Help me!"

"Yes sir!" North jumped into the game, pulling out his sword and pointing it at Bunny. "You let my friend go, or you will die, beast!"

"Bloody hell!" Bunny dropped Jack, who swiftly kicked him in the shin.

"Drive it out!" Jack ordered, throwing his stick at the beast's head. "WE WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH!"

"CHARGE!" North yelled. He and Jack both chased "the beast" out of the Pole in whatever means possible, almost falling over from laughing too hard.


	15. Infection: Puppet

**Summary:**

**Things take an unexpected turn, and not for the better.**

Jack curled up on his side, tears pricking out of the corner of his eyes. Another wave of pain split through his body, and the spirit let out a small scream. His head was pounding, his skin felt like it was on fire and blackness was creeping up his vision. He just wanted it to end, but as the thought passed his mind another strike of pain shot across his entire body, making him claw the sides of the sofa and his back arch. A loud buzzing filled his ears, and he felt himself drifting into darkness once more, hearing a voice whisper close to his ear.

"_You thought I'd let this happen?"_

—

Bunny dropped the water at the first scream, the glass shattering at his feet. Jumping into action, the Pooka dashed out of the kitchen and to the living room, where Jack lay.

"Jack! Wha-" his cry died in his throat as he saw the younger on the sofa, apparently asleep. It didn't look like he was in pain or scared in the slightest – in fact, he had a small smile dancing on the corner of his mouth.

"Jack?" Bunny asked, creeping closer. Jack woke surprisingly quickly, rubbing his eyes. He sat up, looking around.

"What?" The spirit questioned. His eyes were looking past Bunny, locked onto the large window behind him.

"Did ya here tha'?" The Pooka asked, scanning Jack up and down. Jack shrugged.

"Hear what?"

"Tha'…" How had Jack not heard it? Bunny was fairly certain he wasn't imagining it. Looking at the spirit in confusion, he spat out the words. "Tha' scream."

Jack's eyes suddenly met his, and he shivered. The light blue eyes were much darker, and colder…

The moment ended, and Jack had copied Bunny's confused expression.

"No…I was asleep…" he muttered, looking at the window again. Bunny was surprised at his lack of concern. The Pooka turned to the window and found nothing there.

Suddenly, a sharp, icy pain him him square in the chest. He slammed against the wall opposite, skidding across the floor. Black spots invaded his vision, and he struggled to his feet, feeling his chest.

"Wha?" He muttered. All over his fur was glowing frost that was slowly digging into his skin. Snapping his head up, he saw that Jack was standing upright, his staff extended. His face wore no expression, and there was no sign that he was sick or in pain.

"Jack?!" Bunny uttered. "Why?" Jack didn't react and stride confidently to the window, flipping open the latch. As the spirit passed Bunny, he saw that sweat was dripping down his brow, and his cheeks were flushed unhealthily. When he stopped to open the window, his legs shook in fatigue. Something wasn't right.

Bunny scented the air carefully, wincing as frost cut into his skin. The rancid smell of death was back in the air, surrounding the spirit.

Quickly, Bunny grabbed his boomerang, staring at the shell of Jack Frost. With expert aim, he threw it into the air and it hit Jack on the head.

Instead of crumpling to the ground, Jack span around, his face void of emotion. Bunny stumbled to his feet, glaring daggers at the imposter.

"Pitch. Get outta him. Now." Bunny growled. A trickle of blood ran down Jack's forehead and dripped onto the floorboards.

Jack stayed expressionless, lifting up his arm robotically, pointing his staff at Bunny's heart. Bunny's eyes widened and he leapt out of the way as another blast of ice was shot at him, freezing the tips of his fur. Swinging around, the Pooka kicked Jack's legs, making him stumble. In those vital seconds he pounced on top of the spirit, pinning him down on the floor. He could feel any fever radiating from Jack's body, and tried to think how he could stop the spirit from being controlled.

"Sandy!" Bunny yelled, turning his head towards the doorway. "North! Tooth! Quick!" Jack suddenly scratched the Pooka across the face with an icicle, then stabbed him in the arm. Bunny yelled and the spirit scrambled out from under his weight, smacking him around the head with his staff. This time the older guardian fell to the ground, breathless. Blood steadily leaked down his hand and looked underneath him, dampening his fur. It was strange, Bunny thought, how he used to want to battle Jack Frost as Jack Frost; now, when Jack wasn't himself, Bunny refused to lay another finger on him.

A foot made contact with his face, bringing Bunny out of his thoughts. Groaning, Bunny turned around and readied himself for the next attack, struggling to his feet. Jack stood opposite him, standing straight but trembling in exhaustion.

"Come on Jack…" The Pooka muttered as Jack's staff began to glow a light blue. "Do somethin'"

Either Jack couldn't hear Bunny or he couldn't free himself, because Jack held his staff upwards. Bunny's muscles tensed, ready to leap.

"Bunny? Jack?" Tooth's voice rang out from the other side of the room. Both guardians paused in their stances, looking at the source of the noise. Bunny was relieved to find that North, Tooth and Sandy were standing at the door, breathless.

"What iz going on?" North asked, gripping his swords. Sandy's eyes darted between the two, taking in Jack's expressionless look and cold eyes. Silently, he formed a dream ball in his hand.

"'Bout bloody time!" Bunny yelled But was cut short when Jack brung his staff down to the earth. The wood connected with flesh, and a loud, ear splitting _crack _cut through the room, followed by a blast of cold wind. Bunny fell limp, and did not move again.

"Jack! What?!" Tooth shrieked, but Jack didn't wait for her reaction. He stepped across the room mechanically, leaping onto the windowsill. Sandy noticed the trembles of his limbs, and the blood running steadily down his brow. Something foreign reflected deep into the spirit's eyes, a darkness that the sandman knew too well. As Tooth fluttered across the room next to the still form of Bunny, he and North glanced at each other; in that quick exchange, Sandy knew North had seen the same as he had. This wasn't Jack.

As one, he and North charged forward as Jack slipped out of the window. Sandy drew a dream-whip and caught Jack by the ankle, pulling him back into the room. North stood in front of Bunny and Tooth, drawing his swords.

Sandy bound Jack in the golden rope, holding him through the air. Jack struggled in the grasp, but was unable to free himself, having dropped his staff a few metres away.

A groan sounded behind him, followed by a moan of pain, and Tooth's worried voice drifted over to him.

"Bunny – you're hurt. Please."

"Tha'…tha' ain't Jack."

Risking a look over his shoulder, Sandy saw that Bunny was leaning against Tooth, panting. Blood and frost soaked his fur, and his eyes were glazed over in pain.

"It…it _took him…_" Bunny's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slumped against Tooth, unconscious.

Sandy turned back to Jack, who was now still in the ropes having given up. Furiously, the sandman sent a beam of light through the vines, the message clear.

_Leave Jack alone. You have lost._

A low, rasping voice replied to his warning, lined with venom.

"_For now, yes…but the boy is weak, and is growing weaker each second. He will be mine soon enough." _

Jack suddenly let out a rasping breath, coughing violently. Sandy slowly let released him to the ground, where he curled in on himself, chest heaving.

North moved to Jack before Sandy could, getting down onto his knees.

"Jack?" He asked, touching his shoulder. Jack didn't answer, but gagged, clutching his stomach. North noticed the signs immediately and could only rub his back supportingly as the spirit threw up, his entire body shaking.

Sandy's eyes widened at the sight of what looked like black tar getting thrown up from Jack's insides, seemingly never-ending. Even from where he was standing, the nightmare energy made him stumble back a few steps. North's shocked expression mirrored his, and the Cossack caught Jack as he fell unconscious, swearing and shaking.

"How long has he got left?" North asked, catching sight of the sandman's grim expression. Sandy shook his head, trying to look anywhere but at Jack.

"_**We may already be too late."**_ He signed. _**"He is past saving now."**_

**Please review! And any requests are welcome. **

**Bye!**


	16. And Yet Still Chained Together

**Summary:**

**This time Jack gets to choose where Jack wants to go, but it has some unexpected consequences.**

**Enjoy!**

Jack woke up later, just as the sun was beginning to sink into the pale clouds. The spirit tumbled off his chair when seeing the weather outside, making Bunny stumble. Luckily, he didn't ruin another egg with the younger's unexpected movement.

"It's this late already?!" Jack breathed, staring around. Sleep still fogged his mind, and he looked like a bear coming out of hibernation. "Damn, I'm late!"

Bunny's ears twitched at the louder exclamation.

"Well, if ya late now, no point in goin'" he said offhandedly, stretching. He looked out of the window.

"No." Jack said, standing up. There was authority in his tone that the Pooka had never heard before, and it caught him off guard. His mouth worked on voicing a reply, but all he came up with was:

"What do ya mean, no?"

"I still gotta do my job!" Jack growled and tugged the chain a few times, frosting it over again. "Come on…"

"Wha' job?!" Bunny asked, tugging the long chain into a more comfortable position. Jack looked up at him slowly, forgetting about his plans of escape.

"Err…winter?" The spirit was staring at him like he had grown an extra head. "Duh."

"Wait – you spread all of winter."

"Yes."

"On ya own."

Jack raised an eyebrow, a small smirk dancing on his lips.

"You have a problem with that?" He asked amusedly. Bunny cleared his throat.

"I thought tha' there were several spirits for each season." The Pooka was fairly – no, entirely – sure that the other seasons had several other spirits that took charge of the season; none of which were very powerful on their own, but as a team they were a nasty opponent. Heck, he had even _seen _some spring spirits (they were very vain, admiring their own reflections) when he hid his eggs yearly. But then…

Bunny realised he hadn't actually heard of any winter spirits over the last two hundred years at least, and he mentally scolded himself for not realising this sooner. But this raised another question: where did they all go?

Bunny was no judge, but as he thought more deeply about it, Jack did seem unnaturally powerful for a winter spirit, and was more like all of his power was a collection of the entirety of winter.

Jack's expression was hidden by the shadows, but Bunny briefly saw his eyes darken.

"Yeah, well they're gone." He answered shortly, bending down to scoop up his staff. Suddenly (and almost alarmingly) a smile spread on the younger spirit's face.

"Cottontail, you might want to get a coat on or something."

Bunny snapped out of his thoughts, shivering as a large gust of wind tugged at his fur.

"Wha'?" He asked, bewildered. Jack only grinned wider.

"Oh well." The spirit shrugged. "I guess you'll manage."

"No!" The truth hit Bunny like a bolt of lightning. "No way! I ain't flyin'!"

"You don't have a choice!" Jack's sing-song laughter echoed around the room at the Pooka screamed when his feet were suddenly tugged from the ground and out of the window.

"Bloody Hell!" He yelled, clinging onto the chain as they ascended. He turned angrily to the spirit. "Ya could've taken one of my tunnels!"

Jack laughed again, pulling the chain up higher.

"Not where we're going…too cold." The spirit grinned in a slightly demonic way before another gust of wind wrapped itself around the Pooka, making him curse.

"Wha' was tha' for?!" He yelled, snarling. He screwed his eyes up as they jerked alarmingly.

"You do realise how heavy you are, right?" Jack asked. He laughed again, and if Bunny wasn't fearing for his life, he would've thumped him. "I need the wind to help me, obviously…"

The air suddenly got colder, and Bunny risked opening one eye to look around. They seemed to be going across some country fields, and a few sad remains of snow were clinging onto grass blades. Bunny hated to admit it, but he had no clue where they were. Jack seemed to, however, as he scanned their surroundings with some familiarity.

"Almost there, Cottontail." He called.

"Shut up!"

"I admire your manners."

The wind seemed to lessen under the Pooka, and he felt himself descend slowly. Automatically, he opened his eyes, thinking they had landed, but he almost screamed as he saw how high they were – they were above some of the birds. To try and distract himself from the growing nausea in his stomach, he looked upwards, watching Jack.

The spirit (to Bunny's great fear) had his eyes closed, letting the wind guide them. His staff was glowing a brighter blue, and frost spread to his hands and across his sleeves. A few flakes of snow began to drift from the clouds, and when Jack opened his eyes again Bunny saw that they were glowing slightly.

"Get ready!" Jack yelled after a few seconds, a grin resurfacing on his features.

"Wait! For what?" Bunny yelled back over the winds whistles. Before Jack could answer, they suddenly fell from the air, ascending rapidly to the ground. Bunny screamed unashamedly, gripping onto the chain. Jack's laughter didn't help his terror as they fell.

The spirit was laughing joyfully with small tears leaking from his eyes, spreading out his arms as he fell. Just as Bunny closed his eyes for impact, the younger cried out.

"Catch me!" At his words, the wind tousled them to the side, and the Pooka felt the ground brush his back paws as they skimmed the sky. A few moments later, they stumbled to the ground. Jack was still laughing, gasping as he clutched his stomach.

"Yeah yeah…laugh it up, ya wombat." Bunny grumbled, brushing away the snow.

"Come on, Kangaroo – lighten up!" Jack turned to him, his eyes sparkling. Before he could tease him further, however, a chorus of sharper, crueler laughter rang out from behind the trees.

"You brought a friend, Icicle?" A voice jeered. Jack immediately tensed, clutching his staff tighter.

"Aww, that's sweet! Didn't think your heart was warm enough for compassion –"

"– but then again, I wouldn't really see this place as a nice day out!" More cackling laughter followed the comment, and a group of small people walked out of the trees, tossing their long hair. Flowers grew out of the curls in different shapes and sizes, and vines wrapped around their arms. They had some sort of plant-like garments hiding underneath long shawls that were decorated with thorns – some more than others. They wore no shoes, but had long, claw-like toes with sharp, (and in Bunny's opinion) disgusting toenails. Studying them further, he saw that their fingernails were in the same state as their toes. Despite their small height, they looked intimidating and cruel.

"Aww, not pleased Icicle?" One giggled, twisting one lock of hair.

"And you brought a friend, just for us!" Another, that looked like the leader, started up at Bunny, slowly scuttling over with its friends.

"Aww so sweet!"

"So kind!"

"Perfect!"

Jack gritted his teeth, his joyful expression hardening in what Bunny only could describe as hate, and a little fear.

"What are you doing here, spirits?" The younger guardian asked, voice hardened and laced with anger. "It's still winter here."

"Oh no…" the leader pretended to look sad. "I guess we must go…"

"You're rude, Icicle!"

"We outnumber you!"

"Yeah! Outnumber!"

The other spirits echoed madly, beginning to circle them – no, circle Jack. Bunny realised, with a jolt, that they only had eyes for the spirit, barely even acknowledging himself. Jack stood more defensively, eyes flicking to each spirit as they closed in. One of the spirits, spotted the chain attaching them both together. It cried out joyfully, pointing to it.

"Look! They is attached!"

"Aww! Cute!"

The leader's eyes lightened up with interest briefly, walking closer to the chain. It hummed for a few seconds.

"You can't break out if this, can you?" They asked, blinking owlishly at Jack. "Not even you could break it…"

There was a sudden bang and a yell, followed by a shriek of pain. Bunny tore his glare away from the leader and to the scene behind them.

Jack was standing with his staff outstretched, pointing to a spirit that was currently frozen to the floor, the ice quickly breaking the delicate flower petals. Jack himself had a large vine, ridden with thorns, wrapped tightly around his arm; the frozen spirit was holding the other end of the plant.

"You broke our flowers!" One spirit shrieked.

"You attacked me." Jack said through gritted teeth. The leader just laughed, skipping over to the younger guardian again.

"But that wouldn't be the first time now, would it?" They purred, drawing one of its long nails down his face and to his neck. It left a trail of blood, but Jack didn't flinch.

"Oi! Get ya hands off him!" Bunny yelled. The spirits hissed, glaring daggers at him.

"Shh!" They whispered and before he could react, three pinned him onto the tree, wrapping him tightly to the trunk with thick vines. At the motion, Jack stumbled, getting dragged with him. At the sight of Bunny against the tree, Jack gritted his teeth and turned his attention back to the spirits. He wore a loose grin, trying to act more confident then he was; Bunny could see the spirit's eyes darting back and fourth, searching for an exit.

"What do you want then?" Jack swing his staff around his shoulder, twisting on one foot.

"Ahh, straight to the point!"

"You scared, Icicle?"

"Aww, he is!"

"We want this land." The leader said, admiring its nails for a second. "Spring is close, and we want to spread it."

"Spring isn't fur another month, sorry to break it to you." Jack replied. "So you can go now."

"Spring is whenever we make it!" The leader yowled, and cries of agreement rose from the crowd. "And we will take it! Now!"

At their leader's signal, the spirits shot forwards, pulling the vines off their arms and waving them above their heads. Bunny heard Jack curse and he sprang through the air, dodging the whips. However, the chain restricted his movement and the spirit got pulled back to the ground. The spring spirits immediately pounced, shrieking and whipping the younger guardian.

"Get off him!" Bunny yelled, kicking against the tree. Jack let out a pained cry as the vines contacted his skin, leaving small burns. Hissing, the spirit smashed his staff against the ground, forcing all the spring spirits back. In the few seconds of freedom, Jack threw Bunny a sharp shard of ice.

"Cut the vines and we can go!" The spirit yelled, wiping the blood from his lip. Sharp scratches littered his hands and feet, and an angry red rings surrounded the cuts, irritating them.

The spring spirits sprang to their feet and charged again, but Jack was ready and created a barrier of ice between them that stretched a few metres each way. The spirits tried to climb over but Jack whacked them with his staff.

"Hurry!"

"I'm tryin'" Bunny briefly looked up from his work to see the spirits break the ice before clawing at Jack again. Jack yelled and tried to protect himself, but he was outnumbered, and couldn't fly away for distance.

_Finally! _Bunny thought as the vine snapped. Out of anger, he threw his boomerangs at the spirits closest to him before Jack jumped into the air, the wind carrying them to safety.


	17. Infection: The Choice

**Summary: **

_**Why was keeping control of himself so hard? He wanted whatever it was out of his mind, but **__**it**__** has different ideas. **_

**With time running out and hope rapidly fading, the guardians are forced to make a choice. **

Jack was sure he was dead this time.

He couldn't feel his limbs anymore, and the pain had grown to the point he couldn't remember anything else. Each breath he took felt heavy and useless.

If he wasn't dead, he must be dying, because never in his long life had he ever felt as weakened as this.

Strangely, he didn't mind. Either that, or his brain was shutting down – or maybe a bit of both. Jack wasn't sure; any kind of thought made his head hurt more.

"_So did you like that, hmm?" _A voice whispered close to his ear, and Jack tried to raise an arm to swat it away; his arm didn't obey, but stayed limp at his side. Jack then tried to answer, to tell it to shut up, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate either.

"_Oh, you don't remember?" _The voice mocked, amusement lining the edges of its words. _"Never mind, I'll just leave you to rest." _

Jack mentally thanked the voice, letting his mind move back to the blackness it had made itself earlier.

Wait, blackness?

A small part of Jack's sluggish brain questioned that fact, and the spirit probably would've furrowed his eyebrows if he could feel his face. From experience, Jack knew that any kind of sleep did not include being specifically black – okay, so maybe sometimes he couldn't remember his dreams, but he actually _could _remember the black that surrounded his mind like a virus.

"_I don't think that it would be very wise to wake now." _The voice taunted as Jack tried to push his mind into consciousness again; it was hard, like swimming in thick tar. His limbs screamed in protest and a sharp pain in his side was pulsing. He could feel something crawling under his skin, and it made him shudder.

"_You have blood on your hands, don't you know?" _

"Mmnnn…" Jack managed to say – sure, it wasn't the well chosen curse that he had in mind to shout at the whisper, but it was something.

A low hum was close to his ear, and he thought he could make out a few words within the noise.

"-aking…ack…"

"-eas…-t-ak…"

Jack let out another low groan as the pain hit him at its fullest. His chest was burning, it was on fire…he had to put it out!

Desperately, Jack began to claw his chest, digging his fingers deep into his skin. Some part of his subconscious told him his hoodie was gone, and so he clawed harder, searching for the flames. A warm liquid was seeping through his nails as he wailed, coughing.

"_You better keep going…the fire isn't out yet." _The voice warned.

Large, rough hands suddenly clutched his, stopping his work. They were stopping him – Why? Couldn't they see?! The fire was still…

"Frrr…sttpp…" Jack tried to explain, fighting weakly. He screwed his eyes shut and felt some frost burst from his hands. The larger hands quickly let go, and Jack immediately clawed at his chest again, feeling his skin tear underneath his nails. He coughed again, doubling up and curling into a ball, still trying to put out the fire.

"Stop him! Sandy!" A voice yelled, making Jack's head pound. The urgent bellows began to fade awkwardly from his hearing as he scraped against his chest harder. The fire was getting stronger…the pain was building…

"-hallucinations…stop – SANDY!"

"_They are the enemies! You must leave!" _The voice whispered urgently. Jack coughed, feeling a bile move up his throat. He tried get up but the hands slammed him down.

"Nnnn…st…" Jack uttered. He cracked his eyes open but only saw black. Black on all sides.

Where was he?

A sudden, excruciating pain hit his side and Jack screamed a low, pain filled scream, coughing again. Something leaked out of his mouth and he opened his eyes wider, trying to see anything, something – the darkness stubbornly stayed.

Panting, Jack struggled as the strong hands held him tight, and another voice whispered something close to his ear.

"You will be fine…I promise…calm down…please…"

Jack felt the small strength he possessed leave him and he shut his eyes again, still trying to put the fire out on his chest. The hands pinned his arms to his sides and Jack let out a wail of protest.

"_They are your enemy!"_

"Y…you're g-gonna…hurt-t…m-me…" Jack whispered, breathing heavily as nausea rolled in his stomach. The hands holding him relaxed, stroking his hair gently. Jack liked the touch and leaned closer, closing his eyes.

"No. Never." A deep voice reassured. Jack opened his eyes again (not that it made a difference) and turned his head towards the voice, carefully stretching out his trembling hands. His fingers pressed against smooth fabric.

"_You cannot trust them!"_

"Shut up…" Jack muttered, leaning against the person next to him. A warm liquid was still dripping from his aching chest, and the spirit pressed his palms against it again. Pain was tearing through his entire body and he shut his eyes, letting out a weak groan.

—

Jack was still trembling, but had calmed down considerably since he woke up.

It had been North's fault really – the machine was almost ready, and he wanted to wake up the spirit a few hours prior to see how he was doing.

Sighing, North let his hand fall against Jack's back, thankful that he was beginning to feel his fingers again; the younger guardian had attacked his hands in panic, freezing them over.

"Jack…" North muttered sadly, watching helplessly as the boy's face twisted in pain. Sweat dropped from his brow and blood stained his fingernails from where –

"What happened?"

The Cossack looked up abruptly and saw that Tooth was fluttering into the room, followed by Sandy and a limping, unsteady Easter Bunny.

"You should not be up." North ordered sternly at the Pooka, momentarily forgetting about the spirit on the sofa.

"Make me go back to bed." Bunny retorted, massaging the bandages around his stomach.

"Why did you call?" Tooth asked, bringing back the matter in hand. As if to act as a reminder, Jack let out a half-scream, curling in on himself again. His eyes were open slightly, showing a slit of cloudy white.

As one, the remaining guardians stride over to the sick spirit. Tooth ran a comforting hand through his hair. Jack coughed, shuddering and trying to claw his chest again, letting out pain-filled whimpers. With a startled shout, North pulled the spirit's hands back and pinned them to his sides. Sandy traced the raw cuts that already littered his chest with a gentle hand, frowning sadly.

"Who did tha'?!" Bunny whispered dangerously. "I swear I'll kill 'em –"

"Jack did it." North said heavily, sighing in relief as Jack seemed to calm down again slightly. The Cossack looked directly at Sandy. "It iz getting worse. We need to start treatment now!"

Sandy made a few symbols above his head, tearing his eyes away from the spirit.

"What do you mean, it won't work?" Tooth asked, eyes widening. "How can it not work! It worked before –"

"_**Never in all my years have I seen an infection this bad." **_Sandy signed sadly.

"Ya fixed me." Bunny growled. "We can at least try." Jack let out another pained cry, his breaths becoming more laboured. "I can't…" The Pooka shook his head, swallowing thickly. "No one ever deserves this, not even Jack Frost."

Sandy still looked uncertain.

"Please." Tooth asked, staring at the spirit. "We could try."

Sandy let out a silent sigh, nodding.

"_**I need to examine him. We can't let him fall asleep again, that's certain." **_

North shook the spirit's shoulder slightly and Jack opened his eyes wider, his eyes still white and clouded.

"Jack?" North whispered. The spirit didn't respond, panting heavily as more sweat dropped from his brow.

"Hurts…" he muttered, his word ending in a whine. Sandy wasted no time and began his examination. First he examined the infected area again (much easier to see now that the hoodie had been taken off) and pressed his fingers against the angry nightmare sand beneath his skin. At the touch Jack recoiled, screaming and arching his back.

The sandman withdrew his fingers quickly, eyes darkening in grief. Before he could turn back to the other guardians, Jack spoke, his voice dry and cracked with pain.

"Who…who w-was that?" He asked, coughing after his words. The spirit was staring at the ceiling blankly, a small trickle of black liquid running from the edge of his mouth.

The remaining guardians looked at each other in confusion and worry. North spoke first.

"That was Sandy…" The Cossack said. He studied Jack in concern.

"Jack…he was right next to you." Tooth says gently, placing his hand on his shoulder. The spirit jumped slightly at the touch, eyes widening.

"I…I can't…I can't see." Jack whispered, his breaths becoming shallower. "I…can't…see…"

Silence descended in the room as Jack let his eyes close again, curling back on his side to try and ease the merciless pain. The remaining guardians looked at each other, their eyes displaying a range of emotions.

"_**It is too late." **_Sandy signed, eyes darkened and grief stricken. _**"It is too late for him." **_

"What now?" Tooth whispered. Sandy looked down at the ground.

"_**If we treat him now, the strain will most likely kill him."**_

"What if we don't treat him." Bunny asked. "Wha' happens then?" The Pooka looked over at the dying spirit with an unreadable expression. "If we could think of somethin' else, another way –"

"_**The next time he wakes up he will no longer be Jack Frost." **_Sandy interrupted, shaking his head. _**"He will be a danger to us all – a puppet that's only purpose is to destroy."**_

"If we could just try an'-"

"_**No." **_Sandy created a big 'X' above his head. _**"We have two choices now. We either continue with the treatment, though it would most likely end in a painful death for Jack."**_

"The other?" North asked, clenching his fist at the news to come. Tooth was still staring at Jack and Bunny was pacing around the room.

"_**We have to kill Jack Frost." **_

**Pleeeaaaasee review! And request if you want!**

**Thanks!**


	18. Being Chained Together is Painful

**Summary:**

**Jack owes Bunny an explanation but accidentally reveals a secret in the process.**

**Enjoy!**

Jack crashed into the trees ungracefully, smacking on each branch. With a yelp, the spirit hit the ground, feeling his arm yank back upwards, making his shoulder pop. With another yell, Jack was yanked back upwards. His vision doubled and blood ran over his eye and he wiped it with his spare hand, looking up.

Bunny had landed on the thicker branches and managed to hang on. The Easter Bunny was shifting slightly, groaning and holding his head. Jack bit back another painful cry as his dislocated shoulder twisted with the chain holding the two together, and he dropped his staff with a clatter.

"Err…Bunny?" Jack forced his voice to sound even, and he peered up at the rabbit again. Bunny's ear twitched and he opened his eyes, wincing as the sunlight hit them.

"Wha?" He grumbled, rubbing his head. He looked down at the spirit and his eyes widened slightly at the sight of him dangling below him.

_I guess I look worse than I thought, _Jack thought, feeling blood trickle uncomfortably down his leg.

Bunny's gaze travelled from his scratches to his arm, which was now bending at an odd angle.

"Hi…" Jack said casually. Bunny raised an eyebrow. "Err…do you mind coming down from that tree? You see, my arm kinda hurts, so…"

"Yeah – hang on." Bunny replied with strangely no jeers, slowly lowering himself from the branch. He jumped the last few metres down, sending Jack crashing onto the ground again.

"Ouch." Jack muttered, grabbing his staff and sitting up. The scratches that littered his body now began to itch and sting, making him shift uncomfortably. His dislocated arm hung limply to the side of him – he would fix it later, after he dealt with the scratches.

"Why did those spirits attack ya?" Bunny asked sharply; Jack looked up at him confused, unable to read the expression that clouded his features.

"Err…they don't like me?" Jack replied, removing his hoodie. The white, thin shirt that lay underneath it was covered in patches of blood and tears. Jack hissed as he began to pluck the materials off the injures with one hand. His arm was now twisted at a painful angle, making his head throb.

"They don't like ya." Bunny was unimpressed with the excuse. To the spirit's surprise, The Pooka sat beside him, pulling the leaves out of his fur. Jack couldn't remember any time that Bunny ever sat next to him.

Jack kept his eyes on his cuts, coating them with a thin layer of ice to stop the pain. The spring spirits had a nasty habit of using the most painful plants possible to hurt him, making his wounds sting and bleed irrationally.

"Why don't they like ya?" Bunny asked suddenly, and Jack could feel his burning gaze on his face.

"Err…" Jack felt himself blushing slightly in embarrassment – something he hadn't done in years. "Err…I haven't exactly got chance to ask – never have, and I don't think I ever will or…" Jack gestured to his injuries. Bunny grunted in acknowledgment. Feeling the gaze still hadn't left, Jack continued, trying to justify his answer. "When I first met them and tried to talk to them…" Jack kept his eyes on the ground in front of him, and the frost spreading from his feet. "…they just attacked me."

"Without reason?" Bunny asked, eyes narrowing. Jack nodded.

"Yeah…why?"

"That ain't allowed." Bunny growled, flattening his ears. Jack shank away a little from the Pooka.

"Yeah…so? They don't exactly care, so they?" Jack huffed, finishing frosting over the last of the scratches.

"Who's "They"?" Bunny asked but Jack pretended he hadn't heard him, reaching over for his staff. The movement turned out to be a mistake: his dislocated shoulder jolted, making him cry out and retreat to the position he was originally.

"I could fix tha' if ya like." Bunny asked gruffly, glancing at Jack out of the corner of his eye.

"Err…" Jack was planning to do it himself, but he presumed it would be easier with two people. "Okay."

Bunny moved closer to him, studying his shoulder.

"Ya gonna need to lie down." The Pooka ordered. Jack hesitantly obeyed, nervously lowering himself to the ground. More frost spread from his fingertips, freezing the grass blades. He heard Bunny curse.

"Could ya stop tha'?!" He asked angrily. Jack but his lip.

"Can't handle the cold, Cottontail?" The spirit asked, grinning slightly. Bunny ignored the jibe.

"Why does tha' happen?" The Pooka asked suddenly, kneeling by Jack's side.

"When I'm not concentrating." Jack answered absentmindedly, itching a small scratch on his neck.

"Not concentrating on wha'?" Bunny asked curiously. Jack pretended he hadn't heard him again.

"Do you actually know how to do this?" Jack asked, eyeing the Pooka wearily. Bunny glared at him in response.

"Not concentratin' on wha'?" He repeated, an edge to his voice. Jack groaned.

"You haven't dropped that?"

"Not until ya answer."

"It was a slip of the tongue."

"I don't care. Ya said it."

"I meant…" Jack bit his lip again, frost spreading across the carpet. "When I'm not concentrating on my…powers." When Bunny's eyes widened in surprise he jumped to defend himself. "Everyone has to do that, right?"

"No." Bunny was back to being unreadable, but for a second the spirit thought he saw shock spread across his features.

"Can we just do this, please?" Jack changed the subject. "I'm getting stiff from lying here."

"Shut ya trap." Bunny retorted. Gently, he grasped Jack's arm, making him wince. "Ready?"

Jack shut his eyes and nodded, swallowing thickly.

He heard the snap before the pain. It echoed like a gunshot, and he yelled in pain, icicles shooting through the ground. However, experience told him that the pain would end quickly and it did, leaving his arm feeling almost normal again.

"Thanks." Jack said, sitting up again. He flexed his arm, please to find it was operating fine. Offhandedly, he added: "I hate spring spirits."

"Yeah. I can agree on tha'" Bunny stood up, stretching. Jack pulled on his hoodie again, which had been resting awkwardly on the chain. Without a second thought, Jack waved his staff in the air, making it snow slightly. Bunny looked up, cursing as the snow sunk into his fur.

"Wha' was tha' for?!" He asked, shaking the loose snowflakes from himself.

"Wind will carry the snow to where we were before." He said with a grin. Bunny grinned back.

"Smart. Didn't think ya could think like that, Frosty."

"How do you think I managed to create all of those "freak weather accidents" wherever you decided to go?" He asked innocently, twisting on his heel.

"YOU DID THA'?!" Bunny yelled, growling. Jack laughed.

"Who else?" He replied. Bunny charged towards him but Jack flew upwards, hopping onto the Pooka's shoulders.

"Aww…what a cute bunny…" Jack laughed, patting his head. Bunny growled and tossed the spirit off him. In mock outrage, Jack huffed, stamping his foot.

"How dare you?!" He yelled back, folding his arms. "You will never get off here without me, so treat me with respect!"

"Yeah, I can." Bunny pointed out, smiling.

"That's what you tell yourself." Jack retorted and jumped into the air. Bunny yelled, clinging onto the chain.

"Where are ya goin'?!" The Pooka yelled. Jack laughed.

"I'm not done yet!" He called over his shoulder, letting the wind carry them away from the fields. "I still have blizzards to brew!"

"Blizzards! Ya didn't mention anythin' about blizzards!" Bunny practically screamed.

"Well I did now!"


	19. Infection: Out of Time

**Summary:**

**Time has ran out.**

**Previously**_**:**_

"_**No." **_Sandy created a big 'X' above his head. _**"We have two choices now. We either continue with the treatment, though it would most likely end in a painful death for Jack."**_

"The other?" North asked, clenching his fist at the news to come. Tooth was still staring at Jack and Bunny was pacing around the room.

"_**We have to kill Jack Frost." **_

—

"No." Tooth said first. She was shaking her head. "No. Not when he has only just became a guardian."

"We have to try." North agreed, pacing. "This iz what Jack would want."

"He's gonna die either way though, ain't he?" Bunny said into the silence. Tooth and North looked at him.

"Bunny –"

"He's gonna either die painfully, or die quickly at our hands." He ignored them both, staring out of the window and turning his back to their stares. "An' I don't see how ya know what Jack wants. We haven't even known him properly for a week."

"But…there could be a slim chance of him surviving…right?" Tooth whispered. All guardians turned to Sandy, who nodded hesitantly.

"_**Slim." **_He signed. _**"So slim." **_

"Well then decision is made!" North sprang up, eyes flashing with determination. "We try and fix him."

"No!" Bunny yelled. He didn't realise he spoke out loud, let alone shouted, until Sandy jumped and they all turned to look at him. Gritting his teeth, he glared out of the window again.

"I don't…" The Pooka tried to voice his thoughts rationally, surprised at the amount of care and conflict that went into them. "…I don't wanna create anymore pain for him. Not…not anymore."

"But there is hope, Aster." North said gently. Bunny scoffed, shaking his head.

"Yeah right." He muttered, laying back his ears.

"How can you just quit on him?" Tooth asked. Bunny forced himself to meet her gaze.

"I ain't givin' up on him." The Pooka growled. Tooth just shook her head, years brimming in her eyes.

"Well that's what seems like." She whispered.

"Sandy?" North asked, breaking the tension in the room. Sandy shook his head.

"_**I could numb the pain slightly if we go through with the treatment." **_He offered. _**"But it won't make much of a difference." **_

"Bunny, we need your help in this." North urged, placing a hand on his shoulder. Bunny let his posture slump, shaking his head.

"I just don't wanna see someone else suffer like tha' again, Nick."

North opened his mouth to say something, but a loud, shrill scream cut him off. Beside them, Jack began to wake, thrashing on the sofa. The argument was forgotten, and each guardian knelt beside the spirit, each trying to help. Sandy sprinkled some dream sand on his eyes but it only seemed to make him worse. A series of growls were coming from his throat, and low words that only Bunny could catch accompanied them.

"_Almost…almost…almost…" _the rasping voice chanted, making the Pooka step back a few steps.

Jack screamed, dry sobs ripping from his chest as he fought something invisible; his blind eyes were wide open and glazed.

"Sandy!" Tooth yelled over the noise. "Do something!"

The sandman pulled off Jack's hoodie, almost fainting at the sight of the bulging black veins that now invaded his entire body. They were wrapped around his arms, upper torso and back, twisting under his skin.

"_**We have to make the decision now." **_Sandy signed quickly, symbols fluttering above his head. North looked up at Bunny momentarily, searching his gaze. Closing his eyes, the Pooka nodded.

Jack let out another low scream, thrashing harder. North held the spirit down with shaking arms.

"Tooth, Sandy – the equipment, quickly!" He ordered and the two guardians nodded, disappearing into the other room. Jack began to mindlessly claw at North's arms, tearing the skin. Bunny dashed over, grabbing the spirit's fragile fingers.

"Jack! Stop!" North yelled. Jack didn't seem to hear but struggled harder, sweat pouring from his brow. He growled, biting down on the Cossack's hand and drew blood.

North cried out and snatched his hand away, moving it closer to himself.

"Where do you want it?" Tooth asked. Bunny turned and saw that the two smaller guardians were awkwardly guiding a large machine through the main room. The machine was resting on a dream cloud, and the Pooka shivered at the sight of it.

It was just like he remembered: it was large and chunky, held together by a range of silver bolts and nails. Long, thin tubes came out of the base, each ending with a thin, long needle.

"Here." North pointed to empty space next to him and the guardians followed his orders. Tooth placed a hand on Jack's forehead.

"Is there anyway we can cool him down?" She asked. Bunny thought back to where he found Jack in the first place.

"I'd try packin' snow around him." He suggested, gritting his teeth as held the struggling spirit down. "I think that was what he was tryin' to do when I found him. Cool himself off."

Jack flailed his legs, kicking Bunny hard in his newly bandaged ribs. He let out a groan, doubling up on himself.

"You good?" North asked him. Bunny nodded stiffly. When he opened his eyes again, Tooth had gone.

Jack wailed, coughing. Black blood leaked from his parted lips and dropped down his neck.

"Sandy, the jacket." North said. Sandy pulled out a long piece of material from under the machine. It had three leather belts sewn firmly to it. Bunny gulped, lowering his ears.

"Is tha'…" He whispered. North nodded grimly.

"If he thrashes and pulls the needles out…" the older guardian gestured to the small holes that escaped the rabbit's eye before. "This way we can keep them in place."

Wordlessly, Bunny helped North pull the jacket onto Jack, strapping the belts tightly over his arms. Jack wailed, trying to force himself out of the restraints. The jacket held him fast.

Tooth was back with buckets on her arms, quickly packing snow around the spirit's shaking frame. It soaked the sofa and Bunny's feet but the Pooka didn't notice.

North quickly began gently inserting the needles into Jack's skin, threading them through the holes of the jacket. Sandy moved by the machine, his hands raised above two dips in the metal. North looked at Jack, then Sandy, nodding.

With a sigh, the sandman pressed his hands down into the dips, dream sand pouring from his hands. Bunny watched as the golden grains moved through the tubes, disappearing into Jack's skin. Immediately, the spirit stopped thrashing, panting heavily. His eyes however stayed open, wide and unseeing.

—

_Pain._

Jack couldn't see, but was aware of the people crowding around him.

_Pain_

Something was moving inside his skin, something like fire – he could feel it twist through his bloodstream and he wanted to run, run away from it all –

_Pain_

…but something was pinning his arms to his sides. Jack moaned again, coughing. It hurt so much, like someone was dragging knives through his skin.

_Pain_

Someone was screaming. Echoing in his ears, making him shiver. It was inhuman, strange and Jack didn't like it. Something was now getting destroyed in his mind, very painfully tearing him apart in the process.

_Pain. Pain. Pai – _

Another scream. It was him that time. It was just all too much. He wanted it to stop, and he tried to tell the watchers around him that it _hurt, _begging them, pleading.

No one came.

Jack felt hot tears drip down his face and his strength leave him. He pleaded again, whispering it over and over.

"Please –" _pain, pain, _"I want –" _pain_ "I want it to stop –"

_Pain._

_Terror._

_Pain. _

"It's okay." A voice soothed. It fazed in and out of his ears.

_Pain._

His breaths quickened as the pain grew sharper around his middle.

"You have to –"

_Pain. Terror. Pain._

"Stay –"

_Pain._

"Alive –"

_Terror._

"Please –"

_Pain._

"For us!"

_Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pai –_


	20. Snowball Fight

**Hullo again good people – sorry that the last chapter came late but I kinda forgot to upload so…enjoy?**

**Summary:**

**Sometimes Jack likes to goof around instead of doing work – this is one of those times, except he saves someone else from work whist he's at it.**

**Because that's how Jack Frost rolls.**

Jack twitched.

Still nothing. Wait! Was that…no, that was just the wind making the curtain move.

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Jack leant against the window, creating frost patterns with his fingers.

"Where is he?" Jack muttered, letting his head fall back. "He should be _here _right now." Jack's sad monologue was interrupted by his leg slipping and making him topple.

Balancing on a windowsill wasn't an easy thing to do – in most cases, humans classed it as "dangerous" and "irresponsible" – but then again, Jack had never agreed to what humans said so here he was. Curled up and hanging off the edge of the windowsill, the spirit had patiently waited for his friend to enter the room as he always did, at roughly the same time. But now, almost fifteen minutes later, there was no sign of Jamie.

"You're gonna kill me one day, you know that?" Jack huffed, pulling his leg back into the ledge before squeezing himself to one side. Silently, he opened the bedroom window and slid inside, wiggling his toes on the soft carpet. Frost spread slightly from his feet as he looked around, swinging his staff.

Jack felt out of his comfort zone in a house. Sure, the spirit had been in Jamie's room before, but not walked through it.

It had been a long time since he had entered someone's house, let alone a room before. It felt weird seeing a ceiling instead of sky, but Jack pressed on, weaving around various toys to get to the wooden door on the other side. Frowning, he turned the handle and slowly creaked the door open and slipped through, not bothering to close it behind him. Biting his lip, he stretched out one of his legs onto the step in front of him. Growing in confidence, he put down more weight and was about to walk down them when the stair creaked.

"What the?!" Jack sprang back, leaping onto the cabinet beside him, pointing his staff out in front of him. After staying still for a few minutes, eyeing the step, the spirit cautiously stepped down from the cabinet and crept to the stairs again.

"Hmm." Jack hesitated a second before stepping down again, wincing as the creak sounded. In a rush, he stumbled down the rest of the stairs, tripping over his own feet. With a loud crash, he fell to the ground, hitting his head against the wall.

_So much for being stealthy. _

Groaning, Jack sat up, rubbing his head. He glared up at the stairs, sticking his tongue out.

After shooting the stairs one last glare, the spirit silently moved around the house, slipping through doorways.

"Jack!"

Jack span around and was greeted with a mass of brown hair hugging him around the waist. Jack laughed, hugging back.

"Hey, kiddo." He grinned. Jamie pulled away from the hug, eyes brightening.

"Hi! Oh my gosh! You're in my house!" The boy said excitedly, tugging the spirit's hand. "Why? How?" Jamie let out a bark of laughter, jumping up and down. "You're in my house!"

"Gotta say, the décor is quite nice." Jack said with a lazy grin, gesturing to the walls. "But why weren't you in your room?"

"Homework." Jamie groaned. Jack frowned – he heard many tales from talking children about this "home work". All of them made Jack grimace as they would describe how they worked for _hours _to get it done – some said their hands hurt after it, and the spirit had always wondered what kind of "home work" would cause that. Whatever secrets it hid, Jack didn't like it. Children hated it, so naturally Jack did too.

"Home work?" Jack muttered. Jamie nodded.

"Yeah. Homework sucks."

"Agreed."

Jack looked down at the brunette, not liking the glum look spreading across his features.

"We could always…" Jack grinned, "…I dunno…have a snowball fight?"

Jamie jumped again, swinging on Jack's arm.

"Yeah!" Jack watched, amused, as the boy ran to the end of the hall and pulled on his coat as fast as he could.

"Come on Jack!" Jamie beckoned, opening the door. Jack chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'm coming." He said, letting the cool wind tug him outside. Jamie giggled as the breeze ruffled his hair.

"Okay!" Jack began work straight away: making a light snowfall drift from the darkening clouds, dragging his staff across the ground to create snowballs.

"Whoa!" Jamie would cry out as each one of these tasks would be carried out, pointing in his excitement. Each time, Jack would grin and bow.

"Hey!"

"It's Jack!"

"Aw man! A snowball fight!"

"Hi Jack!"

Jack and Jamie turned to find the local children running over to them, wrapped up in coats and scarves. Jack waved, gesturing them to come over.

"I guess you guys wanna join in?" The spirit asked, raising his brow.

"Yeah!" Claude and Caleb said together, fist pumping the air.

"Well, Captain Jamie – do you think they are fit for this war?" Jack asked, turning to the boy. Jamie gave a low hum, studying each of them.

"They look promising…I see potential soldiers here, Captain Jack." He replied, nodding his head. Jack saluted.

"Yessir!" He cried out, making the children giggle. He swung his staff, creating more snowballs.

"Every man for himself!" He yelled, racing away with a few chunks of snow in his hands. "Let the games begin!"

The children shrieked in glee and began to scoop up snowballs. Jack laughed and weaved in between them all, dumping cold snow over their heads.

The fight was merciless: snowballs were thrown from all directions, hitting many victims square in the face. Even snowmen were used as barricades or weapons themselves – pushing others into their snowy bodies.

"Hey!" Jamie yelled as Jack ran past him, smashing snow into his face, before spinning away, letting the wind make him hover for a few seconds.

"It's on!" Jamie laughed, picking up a particularly large snowball. Before throwing it, he turned around to face the other children.

"Get Jack!" The boy yelled. The Burgess children turned simultaneously, each wearing matching grins.

"Oh no…." Jack took a few steps back as the children armed themselves with snowballs – Cupcake was carrying a snowman head. "Oh no!"

The children charged, yelling out their war cries. Jack screamed and ran, scrambling out of the trench he was in. Snowballs whizzed past his ears as he dodged, swerved and danced out of the way.

"Pile on!"

"Wha?" Jack turned around, confused; before he could react, Jamie had tackled him to the floor, sitting on his stomach. Jack screamed as he fell over, being overdramatic. Jamie giggled.

"Captain…how could you…?" Jack pleaded. Jamie grinned.

"Get him!" He yelled.

"Oh no! Someone save me!" Jack shrieked as snowballs were thrown into his face and coated his hoodie. With a dramatic moan, he lay back, closing his eyes.

"Tell mother…I always loved her…" he breathed before "dying", flopping onto the ground.

"We won!" Jamie yelled and high fives were given to everyone in range. The brunette, smiling, peered closer to the spirit, poking his face.

"Yup…we got him." He confirmed.

"You did, did you?" Jack whispered, opening one eye. Jamie screamed as Jack got up easily, making all of the children sitting on him topple onto the snowy ground.

"I will get my revenge!" Jack yelled, standing up straight. He was grinning, and an army of snowballs were hovering behind him, ready for attack.

"RUN!" Jamie yelled over a fit of giggles, "save yourselves!"

Jack roared, swinging his staff, and chased after the children.

Later, parents would ask why their child was literally covered from head to foot with snow, and why there was frost in their hair – frost that styled their hair into something like a mohawk. The child would shrug, muttering something about "battle of the century."

**Sorry this is late.**


	21. Infection: Lost

**Summary:**

"**He's been unconscious for too long - he's going to die if he doesn't wake up soon."**

**The guardians wait for Jack, who is unsure where to go.**

_Previously:_

"It's okay." A voice soothed. It fazed in and out of his ears.

_Pain._

His breaths quickened as the pain grew sharper around his middle.

"You have to –"

_Pain. Terror. Pain._

"Stay –"

_Pain._

"Alive –"

_Terror._

"Please –"

_Pain._

"For us!"

_Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pai –_

—

Jack felt like he was in a small box.

He wasn't really aware of where he was anymore; he couldn't remember how he got there or who he was, apart from his name.

Jack Frost. Funny name.

But this wasn't why he was feeling so…boxed at that moment. He himself had never been inside a small box, but if he had, he was sure it would feel something like he was feeling now: surrounded by darkness, almost unable to breathe, and numb.

_Hang on…numb? Me and numb don't mix, _his thoughts told him, providing some hazy flashes of memory to prove it. Jack would've furrowed his eyebrows if he could feel his face right now, surprised he forgot the most important fact about himself.

He was The Spirit of Winter, and had some fancy winter powers to go with the title. Strangely, the lack of memories didn't bother him – he just had a huge sense of déjà vu. Lived through it. Done that.

What was bothering him more was the fact that he felt like he was in a small box.

Because he _really _didn't like boxes.

At this point, he would've screamed in frustration – but then again, he couldn't feel his mouth so that wouldn't work. Jack did it in his head instead, trying to figure out where he managed to end up in. He tried to strain his memories further but all he got was a pulsing headache and a high pitched buzz in his ears.

Well so much for that.

Jack tried to move, but that turned out as a failure too. Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck, unable to do anything.

In a small box.

Oddly, Jack felt detached from his body. He knew it was his, but his mind was elsewhere, almost as if he left his physical form entirely. If that really had happened, he was screwed because his mind apparently had decided to spend the rest of its days in a small box instead of finding the body.

The more he thought about it (which wasn't too hard seeing as there was nothing else to do was think) the more he wondered where exactly he was, seeing as _something _must've happened to lead to this.

Another memory flashed through his mind. He was in pain, that was clear, but everything else was black around him.

Great. Apparently when he had an idea of who he was, he thought it was a good idea to be in a small box too.

The memory kept fazing in and out of his mind on repeat, and Jack could hear some voices he had not paid any attention to before. The memory-voices were shouting (and was that…crying? It was) about something that he couldn't hear.

Jack inwardly sighed as the memory came to a halt, leaving him once again to his own thoughts.

"I – something – wr –"

Jack thought it was another memory at first, but it soon became clear that someone was next to him, talking. Were they in the same box?

"hel – no – I –"

_Well that's helpful, _Jack mused. Angrily, he tried to get the voice's attention, but he remained still and frozen. He figured that his eyes were closed, and tried to open them, but the headache only grew to a stabbing migraine.

"Loosing him! Qui –"

_Loosing who?_

Jack's mind was growing tired at all the thinking. In fact, just functioning currently had drained him, and he would gladly fall unconscious if it wasn't for the voices (there were a few now) all talking around him. He caught snippets of conversation:

"That was too close." A deep voice with a heavy accent.

"Why hasn't he woken up yet? It's been weeks…" This was a female voice, laced with worry. Who she was worrying for he had no idea.

"He's been unconscious for too long - he's going to die if he doesn't wake up soon." The low voice was back.

"He ain't gonna die. Not after all we've done." A new voice joined the fray, and it was Australian by the sounds of things.

Silence returned around him, and Jack thought he had slipped back into whatever state he was in before until the female voice spoke again, quieter.

"Is that all we can do?"

Then there was silence again.

Jack was slowly becoming more aware of his surroundings – like he was uncomfortably warm, and something wet was on his cheeks – tears.

Why had he been crying?

The conversation didn't continue and Jack sighed. This time, however, his mouth obeyed, and a small puff of air rushed past his lips.

"Jack?" The low voice questioned. Jack desperately wanted to roll his eyes, but it seemed like his body was back to "shut down mode". He managed a weak groan, but not the answer back he was aiming for.

"Open your eyes for me, Jack."

_North. _Jack realised with a jolt. _How could've I forgot him? _

Broken images of the older guardian burned through his mind and, like a virus, it triggered other memories that had been cast aside.

_Well at least I'm not in a box. _

With the memories came his sense of feeling – something that wasn't as welcoming. Though not as bad as before, pain still infected each part of his body, and the idea of going back to sleep in the small box was really tempting.

"Please. For us." North whispered. Jack moaned again and tried to open his eyes. Minutes ticked by, and finally his eyelids began to flutter open.

He was on a hospital bed, surrounded by white walls. Jack thought it looked like badly placed snow.

"Focus."

Blinking, Jack obeyed, concentrating on the immortals gathered around his bed. All guardians were staring at him in disbelief and some concern as he blinked in the bright lights.

"Have I got something on my face?" Jack croaked with a weak smile. The guardians around him smiled – Tooth had began to cry. Jack just lay there, bewildered at all the raw emotion.

"Err, guys…I'm good." He tried to reassure, but this only seemed to anger Bunny.

"Ya ain't good, Frosty." He growled. Jack blinked in response. "Ya have a fever that is too high for a human, let alone a frosted spirit."

Well that's why he felt so hot.

With a sigh, he let himself rest on the pillows, swallowing thickly. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax under the sheets.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Tooth asked suddenly, catching the spirit off guard. His fevered mind stopped him from constructing an excuse, so he thought it would be easier to say the truth. They probably would agree, anyway.

"You wouldn't have really cared…" Jack opened his eyes slowly again, looking at the tubes digging into his skin. "…or so I thought…"

"Why did you think that?" North's voice was filled with an emotion that Jack didn't fully recognise.

"I…" he swallowed. "…we have only just met each other…so…"

"So you think we wouldn't help you?" North finished for him. Closing his eyes, Jack nodded.

"That's kinda how it was before, so…" The spirit yawned, snuggling further under the covers. If he'd opened his eyes again, he would've seen each guardian's face twist in guilt and shock at the blunt truthfulness of his words. He would've seen the regret and hurt reflect in their eyes at the realisation of what they'd done.

But Jack was too happy at realising that he wasn't in a small box to bother opening his eyes once more, so he decided to just relax.

"Do you need anything?" Tooth asked softly. Jack shook his head, smiling slightly.

"I'm good." He whispered tiredly, finally drifting off into a safe sleep. No voices invaded his thoughts, and no more shadows were running through his veins.

With a small smile and a relaxed sigh, Jack dug himself under the covers, gladly blocking out the world.

After all, winter could wait.

**The end…of this arc. **

**Hehehe I'm sorry my endings are BAD but I wanted to move on, so…**


	22. No Longer Chained Together (Finally)

**Summary:**

**Finally, the chains come off and Jack is free to do whatever he wants without a judgemental Easter Bunny hovering over him.**

_Previously:_

"Where are ya goin'?!" The Pooka yelled. Jack laughed.

"I'm not done yet!" He called over his shoulder, letting the wind carry them away from the fields. "I still have blizzards to brew!"

"Blizzards! Ya didn't mention anythin' about blizzards!" Bunny practically screamed.

"Well I did now!"

—

North heard the yells before he could see the two guardians.

He was sitting in his chair, reading over some letters when loud voices echoed down the halls, distracting him. At first he thought it was an argument, but as he began to sigh, laughter rose from behind the door.

"The groundhog really did tha'?"

The door was pushed open, revealing Jack and Bunny, who were actually talking civilly. The sight was too much for North, who sat down and waited for them to finish their conversation.

"Yeah!" Jack answered Bunny's question, swinging his staff. North noticed that Bunny didn't complain (like he often did) at the movement, instead listening to the spirit next to him.

"He was crazy, charging at me like a rabid dog." Jack continued. "Started screaming some stuff I couldn't understand, so I ran outta there."

"I thought ya weren't scared of any spirit." Bunny teased, rolling his eyes.

"Never scared, no. But if a fight is going to start? That's just being sensible."

"Ya have never been sensible in ya life."

"Charmed."

North, with a cough, interrupted them, smiling.

"What can I do for you, hmm?" He asked. Jack grinned, holding out his chain. Bunny did the same, raising an eyebrow.

"What else?" Jack asked, walking closer to the Cossack. North chuckled, bending to inspect the chain.

"Iz been long enough for you two, I agree." He straightened himself up again, looking up at the ceiling. "Sandy iz upstairs, so let's wait for him to finish his work, yes?"

He expected the two guardians to argue or complain, however – though Bunny sighed loudly – they didn't audibly complain.

With a small huff, Jack sat on the floor whilst Bunny moved over to the chair. The Pooka hesitated when the chain jerked, sending Jack sliding across the floor; the spirit let out a yelp, craning his neck to see the rabbit.

"Watch it…" He said. Frowning, he lifted up his foot, inspecting it. "You might've given me a splinter…"

North chuckled as Bunny rolled his eyes, tugging the chain.

"You ain't gonna get a splinter so shut ya trap."

"But I could've, and that means you put an innocent child in danger." Jack countered, widening his eyes.

"Child?" North asked curiously, smiling. Jack pulled a face, wiggling his hand.

"Eh…just about."

"Yeah righ'" Bunny snorted, persistently moving to his chair.

"Ahh! Stop!" Jack cried out, getting dragged across the floor. He giggled as the Pooka tugged harder.

"North! Help me!" Jack pleaded, looking up at him from his sprawl on the floor.

"I think you are managing fine." North said, shrugging slyly. Jack gasped, looking betrayed.

"Help me or –" He was interrupted when Bunny swung Jack across the room, now grinning. "Okay! Now your doing this on purpose!" The spirit yelled, twisting onto his stomach. "There is no way your stupid chair is that far away!"

"Ya can easily get up!" Bunny argued, swinging Jack around a corner.

"I'm wounded!"

North noticed how Bunny froze temporarily, checking the spirit for any injuries.

"I have a splinter." Jack moaned, holding up his foot.

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying! Why on _earth _would you think that?"

North chuckled as he watched the two play fight, Bunny using his extra size and weight to pin Jack to the ground.

"No fair!" Jack whined, trying to wiggle out of the rabbit's grip.

"I don't care." Bunny replied, twitching his ear. A movement from the top of the stairs caught their attention, and all three guardians looked up to see Sandy drifting down them, smiling.

"Hi!" Jack waved enthusiastically from underneath Bunny, grinning. Sandy waved back.

"We need ya to take these chains off." Bunny said bluntly, standing up. He held out the chain and with the movement Jack was raised off the ground with a yelp.

"They have been good, don't worry." North reassured when the golden man looked at him skeptically.

With a soft glow, the chains broke off the two guardians' wrists with a dull clunk, dissolving as they hit the floor. Jack fell to the ground before promptly doing cartwheels around the room, laughing.

"Finally…" Bunny sighed, leaping out of the way as Jack flipped next to him. "I was beginnin' to go crazy."

"Hey, I think my mind has already been damaged by being close to you for so long." Jack retorted, grinning. Bunny was about to reply hotly when North interrupted, asking a question that had been on his mind for some while.

"Why didn't you come here sooner?" The Cossack questioned. "I thought you would be trying to get me to break that thing within a few hours."

"Err, we kinda ran into some trouble…" Jack began, mid handstand.

"I think "bit" is an understatement." Bunny muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, well no one asked you."

"Actually he did ya idiot."

"I'm not an idiot!"

"Really?"

"Yup!"

"What kind of trouble?" North interrupted, raising an eyebrow. He folded his arms as he waited for one of them to speak.

"It was nothing, really –" Jack tried to say but was stopped by Bunny's scoff.

"That ain't nothin'" Bunny snapped. He turned to North. "We got attacked by some spring spirits."

North hissed. He had never met any spring spirits before, but they had never sounded friendly when other spirits talked about them – none of the seasonals had ever did, now that he thought about it.

"Yeah, they weren't friendly." The Pooka said. Only now, North noticed some scratches on Bunny's arms, and tears in Jack's hoodie.

"Look, they do it all the time, it's no biggie!" Jack tried to reassure, aiming to stop the anger rapidly spreading on North's face and the darkening of Sandy's eyes.

"All of the time!" North's voice raised, and Sandy scowled. "What do they exactly do, "all of the time"?"

"They got pissed when Jackie tried to spread some winter an' ya can see the rest." Bunny growled, gesturing to himself and Jack. Jack had many more scratches than Bunny, and some were still oozing blood.

"That iz out of order!" North was almost shouting now, letting the anger control his actions. "You were doing nothing wrong!"

"Guys."

"Yeah, that's what I was sayin' to Frosty earlier."

"Guys."

"Is there any way to stop this? Any higher authority?"

"_Guys!"_

The older guardians paused, turning to Jack. Frost was spreading under the younger's feet and digging into the floorboards. His expression was shadowed by his hood, which had been pulled up sometime during their debate.

"There's no point." Jack muttered. He looked up at them, pulling down his hood. "No point in trying to do _anything._"

"Why?" North asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "We can help –"

"The last thing you need it to be making more enemies on my account." Jack said. Frost spread faster under his heels until it was almost touching Bunny's feet. "You might need their help someday."

"I'd rather smash their faces in than –"

"That's not the point, Bunny." Jack cut the Pooka off. He gave the other guardians in the room a weak smile. "Really, you don't want another Pitch fiasco on your hands – then the moon would have to choose _another _guardian." The spirit grinned, glancing at Bunny. "Might even be the groundhog."

"Hate the groundhog." Bunny muttered, a low growl in his throat. Jack laughed, swinging his staff.

"No one does, really – that is, apart from the spring spirits." Jack said.

"Those buggers –"

"Yeah, they talk a lot."

"Not surprised." North grumbled, still not fully satisfied. Jack sensed this, and gave him a quick smile before turning to the kitchen.

"Now I'm gonna get myself some peach juice." The spirit said, running into the kitchen. He called over his shoulder: "I hope no one took it from the "Jack Frost" section in the fridge or I'm gonna be very annoyed."

Also, in the fridge, there was a "Tooth" section, "Santa" section, "Golden boy" section and "Kangaroo" section (Jack named them all, originally calling the "Tooth" section "Scary Lady" until Tooth herself changed the name.)

"Don't worry, I had the best elves guard it." North called back. Jack groaned. "What?"

"The elves would've drank it by now!" Jack moaned. A loud _thump_ informed the three other guardians that the spirit had flopped onto the floor dramatically.

"I just wanted some juice…" Jack was heard to mutter, his head squashed against the kitchen tiles.

"How did you cope with him again?" North asked, chuckling. Bunny sighed.

"I dunno Nick. I dunno."

**REEEEAAAD PLEEEASE:**

**I will be on holiday for pretty much the rest of August so ALMOST NO UPDATES FOR ANY OF THIS…please don't be mad…**

**Hope you have a good summer!**

**Bye for now**


	23. Movie Night

**Summary:**

**There is a movie night. It doesn't go as planned.**

Jack shifted on the squashy sofa so that he swung upside down, his legs dangling in the air. He looked again at the giant television in front of him, then back to the guardians. Then to the television again.

"So maybe it goes here…" Tooth muttered beside Sandy, prodding a button. The screen stayed black and Jack pursed his lips, tilting his head further. It was twenty minutes into their supposed "movie night" (as North called it) and the stupid television wouldn't work.

And they hadn't even picked a movie yet.

"What about the wire?" Jack asked, twisting so he was on his belly. "Try following it."

Tooth looked over from her awkward position, wires dangling over her arms and legs. She smiled sheepishly.

"That might help. Sandy could you…" the sandman nodded, dropping a large hammer and a chainsaw (Bunny had the bright idea of seeing what was _inside _the screen before Jack intervened, remembering that Jamie's television didn't have a giant hole in it) and drifted over to the back of the TV.

There was a small click and suddenly the room was lit with bright colours and booming sound, making them all cover his ears. Jack slithered onto the floor and threw his staff at the screen quickly; the conduct shot through the air and hit the centre of the TV, creating a large crack across the screen. It didn't turn off, however – instead it transitioned into what Jamie called "ad – verts (or something close to that), screeching out an annoying jingle.

"The remote!" Tooth shrieked as Bunny bounded onto the room, covering his ears and cursing louder than the TV. "We need the remote!"

"I got it!" North bellowed and burst out the many boxes scattered across the room, holding The rectangular object was clutched proudly in his hand and he began jabbing random buttons. Jack face planted the floor, screaming as the volume only seemed to get louder.

"The other way ya idiot!" Bunny yelled, snatching the remote away. Jack looked up briefly to see that his ears were pressed against his skull. Tooth was covering her ears and Sandy was...sleeping?

That actually wasn't a surprise.

The sound quietened until it was dull hum in the background and Jack flipped back onto the sofa, frosting his seat with the palm of his hand.

"Budge up." Bunny muttered as North sank into the chair beside them, sighing happily. Jack grinned, lying fully on the seats.

"What's the password?" The spirit giggled. Bunny's eye twitched.

"It wasn't a request." The Pooka growled.

"That is a stupid guess." Jack snorted as Bunny growled. "What? Can't play a simple game?"

"Get off!" Bunny yelled, grabbing Jack's ankles. Jack shrieked as he was swung and tossed to the other side of the room, crashing into the empty boxes that had been searched by North earlier (they couldn't find the remote).

Jack yelled as he sunk into the sea of cardboard and and stylophone, bits of plastic fluttering into the air.

"Bunny, what did we say about this?" Tooth scolded the Pooka, shaking Sandy awake. Bunny smiled smugly, stretching himself across the sofa.

"Yeah, but that wasn't throwin'. Tha' was swingin'." He replied. Catching Tooth's frosty glare, he hastily changed the subject. "_Anyway _I found a couple of films, so what are we gonna watch?"

Bunny held up a few dvd cases and Jack glanced at them before burrowing into his "box fort".

"Ooh _Iron Man _is a good one." Tooth said, sitting crosslegged on the floorboards. Sandy nodded enthusiastically and Jack sat up, interested.

"Iron Man? The superhero?" He asked. Tooth nodded.

"Bah! Not that!" North announced, stroking his beard. "_The Grinch _iz good, I watch it many times!" He pointed to the DVD in Bunny's paw.

"Aw nah mate not on ya nelly." The Pooka refused, tossing the DVD away. Jack caught it, tracing the lines on the cover and the large letters that filled most of the space.

"But this has _snow _in it Bunny!_ Snow!_" Jack happily pointed to the image, and pointed at the snowflakes. Bunny rolled his eyes.

"Yeah so does this one, and it ain't Christmas!" The rabbit jabbed the other cover in his hand.

"_The Hateful Eight?_" Tooth said, peering at the glossy cover. "I dunno, I prefer a nicer movie without so much…violence." Sandy, however, was grinning and nodding.

"The Hateful Eight?" Jack blinked owlishly at the cover. "I'm down for that too."

"Is there anything you ain't down for Frosty?"

"Nah."

"I still think _The Grinch." _North announced, folding his arms.

"I'd rather do bloody _Hop _than that!" Bunny growled, twitching his ear.

"What's _Hop?" _Jack questioned.

"Do we have Hop?" Tooth grinned, laughing slightly. Bunny glared as North burst into laughter.

"He destroyed it when I gave it to him for Christmas!" North chuckled. Jack laughed, rolling onto his back.

"Yeah yeah – that film was a mess!" Bunny defended. "Chicks! Chicks as workers!"

"Calm down Cottontail, we're won't judge." Jack smirked and threw _The Grinch _into his face. "Only if you let us watch this!"

"Ha! I win!" North yelled, laughing unnecessarily loud. Bunny growled.

"Come on, it's not that bad." Tooth reasoned, holding out her hand. With an angry mutter, Bunny slapped the DVD in her hand, rolling his eyes.

"Bloody Christmas."

Tooth and Sandy returned to the TV, now fiddling with the strange black box underneath. Jack thought it looked like a tiny alien ship.

"Do you like my house?" Jack asked randomly, wiggling into the mountains of cardboard. He had frosted all of the boxes together until they surrounded him, using the plastic as cushioning.

"Don't let the elves get any ideas." North chuckled, eyes twinkling. Bunny rolled his eyes, not commenting.

"Okay…it's ready!" Tooth grabbed the remote, jabbing the buttons as a colourful menu appeared on screen. Jack watched in fascination as the images moved in sequence, showing a mythical town.

"Whoa." Jack smiled sheepishly when he noticed North watching him fondly. "I Err…I don't watch many things." He stuttered, burying himself under plastic. North smiled.

"Same here, my friend – I iz usually too busy." The Cossack replied. Jack beamed back before settling down, curling up in his "house".

"We ready?" Tooth asked, ready to press the start button. Jack was about to nod when Sandy suddenly sat up from his slouch (he had created a sand-armchair for himself) and flew out of the room and into the kitchen. Jack blinked owlishly, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Where'd he go?!" Bunny asked, shifting on the sofa. North shrugged.

"He's a mysterious man."

The remaining guardians watched as the images looped on the menu, Tooth turning the volume up so it was at a comfortable sound level.

Just when Jack was wondering what frosted cardboard tasted like, Sandy came back into the room, holding a variety of drinks on a golden plate he had crafted.

"Wow!" Jack said as he stared at them all; each had ice in, and each was a different colour.

"That iz a good idea, Sandy!" North boomed, making Bunny jump. "What have you chosen for us?"

Sandy, with a small bow, gave the first drink (a light orange with a straw) to Tooth, who sipped on it gratefully.

"Thanks!" She smiled, stirring it with her straw. Sandy smiled and passed the next two to Bunny and North (dark colours that Jack predicted was alcohol) who said something similar to Tooth before taking a sip.

The sandman then floated down to Jack, who watched in fascination as he handed him a dark liquid with ice at the bottom.

"What's this? He asked, sniffing it curiously. It smelt slightly of cherries. With a shrug and a small smile, Jack sipped the drink through the pink straw. Bubbles immediately raced onto his tongue and down his throat with made him squirm with delight. The drink itself tasted of cola, but then had an aftertaste of cherries.

"This is great!" Jack grinned, creating more ice cubes. Sandy gave him a thumbs up before taking his own drink (a clear liquid with tiny bubbles like Jack's) and sat back on his armchair.

"We ready?" Tooth asked, grabbing the remote. Jack nodded.

"Yeah!"

"I ain't."

"No one asked you Kangaroo."

And the movie played.

And Bunny, Jack thought, looked like he was enjoying it.

**So hi!**

**Just so you know, Jack's drink was Pepsi Max Cherry (my fav)**

**The others…you can make up XD **

**(oh but Sandy's was lemonade)**


	24. Snapped

**Summary:**

**A fight begins, but some things cut deeper.**

Jack growled, climbing onto Bunny's back and stretching out his hand to grab the familiar piece of wood clutched in a large paw. Bunny yelled and smashed his back against the wall; Jack felt his bones crack as he made contact but refused to let go, instead gripping harder into the Pooka's fur.

"Bunny! Jack!"

The cries were ignored as the spirit swiftly kicked Bunny in the jaw, making him stumble forward with a hiss. Jack reached out again, fingers brushing the wood, but Bunny pulled it back, throwing the spirit over his shoulder.

"Bunny!" Another voice shouted. Jack felt a hand brush his but he jerked it away, growling:

"I don't need help!" Before a paw could collide with his chest, Jack flipped onto his front, leaping out of the way on all fours. His eyes didn't meet their opponent's – all they followed was the staff getting clutched in one paw, jerking up and down as the arm moved.

"Stop this _now!_" North shouted; Jack briefly heard The Cossack draw his sword but he was already charging at Bunny again, pinning him against the wall. Bunny quickly punched the spirit in the gut – or tried to, if the spirit himself hadn't kicked his right leg roughly, sending it buckling to the ground. With a speed that rivalled physics, Jack proceeded to slam his fist into the Pooka's jaw.

A hot pain flooded his rib cage and Jack was flung back once more, slamming into the wall opposite. Groaning, he propped himself to his knees, panting.

"Ya really think ya can beat me?" Bunny growled, moving into a battle stance. Unlike Jack, his limbs weren't trembling and he was barely gasping, massaging his jaw.

"Bunny, this is enough –"

"No. No it's not." Bunny interrupted. He stepped forward, pointing the staff at the spirit. Jack glared, trying to stand; his legs wouldn't cooperate and he could only fall back onto the wooden floors.

"Ya can't do nothin'" Bunny continued, stepping closer. Jack could feel the tension grow around him as the other guardians watched, not sure whether to intervene. Jack tried to stand up again, leaning against the wall. A sharp pain erupted under his ribcage, making him double over.

"No' withou' this."

"_Bunny!_"

"He don't deserve this!" Bunny's voice rose marginally, but to Jack it felt like he was screaming it close to his ear.

"I…do!" Jack panted, groaning as his stomach jolted with another burst of pain. Sandy's hand returned to his shoulder but Jack stumbled away from it, shaking his head.

"No ya don't! Ya never did!" Bunny's voice really did grow to a shout this time. Jack snarled as the Pooka held the staff up in the air as if it was a trophy. "Not when all ya do is freeze. Bloody. Warrens!"

"It wasn't my fault, how many times do I have to say?!" Jack shouted back, ignoring his injury. He stood up straight, clenching his fists. "I never meant to freeze your stupid eggs!"

"Oh!" Bunny's voice was laced with sarcasm. "Where do ya suppose the ice came from then?!"

"Me, but –" Jack tried to explain, but Bunny was deaf to his words.

"Yes, _you!_" The Pooka has lowered his voice to a growl, laying back his ears. "In fact…" the older guardian's face twisted with uncontrolled anger. Jack knew, as his eyes flashed, that there would be no more reasoning. Not like he hadn't tried, but his temper was probably higher than Bunny's, and it was taking everything (plus a severe kick to the chest) to not rush forward at him, summoning the winds to throw him outside.

"In fact…why don't I just keep this?" Bunny smirked. Jack shook his head, stumbling forwards.

"No!" He yelled, ready to dash at the Pooka for another round, but a strong hand held him back. North's hand.

"Calm down. It's alright." North muttered but the spirit shook his head feverishly, growing more concerned about his staff – and his – safety. All if the insults that would usually make his pause were reflected off him, the only thing occupying his mind was _his staff._

His staff, not in his hand. Not where it _needs _to be.

"No!" Jack tried to shrug North's grip off, snarling.

"Bunny, just give back the staff! This is ridiculous!" Tooth's voice scolded as Jack tugged. He paused from the struggle, looking up as Bunny shook his head stubbornly.

"It's a fair trade! If he doesn't –" but Bunny never got to finish.

Jack snapped at the word "trade", visibly flinching. With an almost inhuman yell, he tore away from North's vice-grip, leaping towards the Pooka. Windows broke as the wind burst in – weaved into Jack's soul, it pinned the remaining guardians against the walls, paralysing them.

Jack couldn't hear the shocked cries over the blood pounding in his ears; he stood up straighter, glaring at the remaining guardian. Scenes flickered before his eyes – scenes of white snow. Black sand. Yellow eyes, hungry and cold.

Green eyes met his own in an act of defiance, a mix of arrogance and rage. If Bunny was unnerved by the sudden outburst, he didn't show it. The staff was held tighter in his paw, wood cracks audible across the room.

"I want my staff back." Jack uttered coldly. The wind howled, turning up floorboards and peeling off wallpaper.

Bunny scoffed.

"Yeah, like a bit of wind is gonna stop me." He bared his teeth. "I've told ya again and again – ya never listen though. So ya deserve it."

"Jack! Bunny! Control yourselves!" North yelled, not that the two heard.

"It's goin' in my warren. An' when ya are actually sorry, I'll give it ba –"

Jack lunged again, kicking the Pooka's ribs as he jumped into the air. Bunny stumbled, snarling, and swung a fist at his face. Jack ducked, slipping under his opponent and elbowing him in the back, making him fall to the ground.

Cries were all around them now, pleading and demanding. Each one telling them to stop, to resolve it civilly, but Jack was only focused on getting back his staff. Then, and only then, would he be able to listen.

The spirit pinned Bunny to the ground, pressing his foot against his throat. As the Pooka squirmed, he reached out to the wood, fingernails scraping the side –

Bunny grabbed Jack's extended arm, tugging it forwards. In one swift, well practiced movement, the Pooka has pinned the spirit to the ground. Jack struggled, blindly kicking and flailing. One of his feet caught the butt of his staff hard; Bunny lost grip and it went spinning across to the other side of the room.

The reaction was spontaneous. Jack hurled himself upwards, using Bunny's back as a launch pad to leap across the room. He was only a few centimetres away – but Bunny was faster.

The spirit was slammed into the wall again, bruise blossoming on his arm, as the Pooka dived, gripping the staff once more.

Jack, with a shriek, tackled Bunny, wrapping his legs around his chest, squeezing them hard enough so the older began to choke.

The spirit delivered a few more blows to the head before reaching out for the staff again, gasping as Bunny fought back, slamming himself repetitively against the wall.

"It ain't that easy." Bunny gasped. With a yell, he swung Jack forwards, slamming him onto the floor.

Coughing, Jack looked up through blurred vision to see Bunny standing over him.

"Ya can't beat me. Give up!" He yelled. Jack blinked, limbs shaking beneath him.

"Bunny! Stop this!"

Bunny didn't listen. Rage had taken over any logical thoughts.

"I want my…" Jack couldn't finish. Instead, he made a sudden grab for the staff, pulling it down. Bunny pulled up stubbornly, eyes narrowing.

The staff creaked alarmingly as it bent, straining. The two warring guardians pulled more desperately.

And then it happened.

With a powerful shockwave, the staff finally broke under pressure, ice-shards splintering across the floor.

Jack let out a small gasp, holding his stomach. Fire was spreading through his veins, twisting and churning under his skin. His vision swam and he let out a weak, choked plea, staring up at Bunny.

The wind calmed. The temperature rose.

Jack fell to the ground, eyes wide and glazed.

**No, Bunny isn't a stupid, mean man…he was just angry, and I often feel like Bunny can sometimes let his temper get the better of him**

**REVIEW PLEASE**

**Thanks**


	25. Once I Saw a Little Bird

**Summary:**

**Jack was used to finding dead birds, wings fractured, underneath a tree. It happened a lot during winter. **

**But he had never found one alive.**

Jack stared at the sight in front of him, a silent plea escaping his lips. Feathers were littered around it like a wreath, bloody and split. Dead leaves churned around them both, coated with new frost.

It was a few weeks into winter. Already the cold winds had swept through the town, cold and uninviting. Children and adults alike began to wear coats and scarves – some scarcely moved out of the warm comforts of their house.

Jack was there, of course, watching. He watched as a wave of his staff created a light snowfall, the click of his fingers created black ice across roads and pavements. He watched as a tap of his foot made the gravel frost and puddles turn to ice.

He was trying to delay the inevitable, really.

"Get inside, get inside." He had sang to passers by, knowing his warnings would never be heard. "Get inside before you freeze…"

It had been around twelve o clock when the wind moved from a irritant whistle to a howl louder than thunder; the snowflakes were razors, ice underfoot a silent killer.

But not for the humans. Humans had pretty houses. Warm fires. Cozy beds.

The animals that inhabited the north woods, however, did not.

From experience, Jack knew there was nothing he could do. He had tried a few times before detaching himself from the entire event, counting the corpses afterward.

Five mice. Two deer. Six squirrels. Twelve birds.

"Well done." He would whisper to himself. "Good job. That's two less than last time. Good job Jack."

So this time was no different, or so he thought.

The woods had been almost destroyed; frost covered every tree, every stone, every leaf. Jack moved through it calmly, dragging his staff along the ground. He counted quietly.

"Two, three hedgehogs. Four rabbits – five rabbits. Bird number eight, straight ahead."

The bird was white, spread across the ground. It made Jack stop, toes digging into the ground.

Feathers littered like a wreath.

Dead leaves churning around them both.

It's chest was coated with a thin layer of frost, blood splattered on the breast.

And it was _breathing._

Jack blinked, tilting his head. Unsteady but strong breaths escaped its parted beak feebly, it's hooked claws twitching with in inhale. Jack watched, crouching.

Slowly, he extended his finger, letting the top brush against the feathers. He hadn't expected it to be so soft. Still, he could feel its weak heart fluttering underneath.

In a trace, he let his finger travel along a bone and to one of the twisted wings. He pressed harder, feeling blood seep into his nail.

Jack gently picked up its limp form, cupping it close to his chest. The bird shifted but didn't wake, it's head flopping lifelessly to the side. The spirit stroked it again, whispering.

"That's one less than last time." Smiling softly, he made his way to a small cave where he often spend winters in this area; it was familiar, safe and, most importantly, warm. Or, as warm as it could get. Deeper into the cave there was no freezing winds, no frosted grounds – Jack made sure to drop his staff upon entering, worried that he might make it colder.

The spirit sat down, placing the bird on the rocks (he figured they were warmer than him) before pulling off his hoodie. He made a small nest, laying the bird inside it and folding the sleeves over like a blanket. Smiling at his handiwork, he dashed back into the open, grabbing a plastic cup that had been littered carelessly a few feet away. He couldn't get to the stream fast enough; with his bare hands he smashed the ice until it was splintered in his hands. Hurriedly he scooped up some of the water and sprinted back, sliding into the cave and kneeling beside the bird once more.

It still hadn't opened its eyes, but was shifting more in the makeshift nest.

"Hey…it's okay." Jack whispered. He dipped his finger in the cup, coating it with water, and dabbed it on the cuts.

Jack had never really taken care of any animal before, but whenever he was hurt he would clean his wounds before doing anything else – so he did the same to the bird, deciding that it was the best place to start.

"Hey…I'm sorry about that, by the way." Jack muttered to the creature, washing the blood off the wings. "I mean, I'm sorry about that big storm. But it would've been even bigger if I left it 'til later, y'know." Jack paused to pour more water onto the bird's breast. "Then that would've been bad."

The bird stirred, opening a black eye to stare at the spirit. Jack held his breath, snatching his fingers away quickly.

"You're awake." Jack smiled at the bird tilted its head, blinking. "How are you?" He hadn't expected the bird to answer and it didn't, instead shifting so it was in a more comfortable position, legs tucked under its chest. It tested the twisted wing gingerly, seemingly deciding that it hurt to much to do anything with.

"You already look better." Jack whispered. It was getting darker outside and Jack frowned, looking from the mouth of the cave and back to the bird. It would be night soon, and Jack knew that the nights were colder – and the day had been bad enough.

"You're gonna get cold…" The spirit but his lip, watching as the bird weakly puffed out its feathers. "And hungry..." he folded the sleeves over the creature again and tipped the cup so it was almost lying horizontally, held up by his hoodie. That way the bird could drink.

"Just…please don't go." Already the bird was a nice company to him; long nights with no one to talk to, or even be with, left him curled up at the end of his cave, drawing with frost. No spirits so far had approached him, though he had seen them from time to time, and even spoke with others (even if it was an argument). He had spoken to a strange spirit a few days earlier, but it disappeared into the shadows – Jack wasn't even sure it was real, or his mind finally breaking.

The bird stared at him unblinkingly and Jack took that as a queue to leave, grabbing his staff and drifting over the town, scanning the icy streets. He dropped to the ground, snatching some clothes off a washing line. Dropping the items onto the ground, he dug his staff into the mud. Worms writhed under the wood and the spirit grabbed them, throwing them onto the pile of clothes before taking to the sky.

He landed at the mouth of the cave, rushing through the tunnels, dropping a few materials as he did so. He reached the main chamber and smiled, slowing to a walk.

The bird was just as he left it, apart from the fact its eyes were half closed lazily. It perked up as he entered, tilting his head and opening its beak.

"Here." Jack smiled, dropping the worms beside the bird. He took a particularly fluffy jumper and covered the creature with it, grinning as he made a small cooing sound with its throat.

"That's the best I can do, I'm afraid." Jack sighed, smiling as the bird poked out its head and ate some worms, still staring at him.

"I don't think your wing is broken…" Jack crawled to the other side of the bird, studying the damaged wing. Once he had washed it it looked less severe – a long scratch (presumably a branch) had scraped it. The bone underneath was swollen, but he was sure it was a sprain and nothing more – experience told him that it wouldn't be able to fly for a while.

"You done?" He asked, watching as the last worm disappeared into its beak. The bird answered by nestling further into the blankets, closing its eyes.

Jack looked away and over to the darkened sky, watching as the clouds gathered.

He had never managed to save anything before.

—

A week passed, and Jack spent most of it in the cave, taking care of the bird he had now called Angel. It was a little cliché, but it was Jack's first time naming something, and that was the excuse he told himself.

Angel, though she hadn't came out of the bundle of clothes yet, was beginning to look more lively, chirping and flexing her wing. By the end of the week, it seemed to Jack that she was much better, and was itching to fly again.

"Looks like you're ready to go." Jack smiled. He handed her the collection of foods (bread crusts, he had fetched, and watched as she stood up and pecked at them.

Jack looked outside at the darkening sky, his chest tightening. Clouds were growing more black and deadly, and the wind was picking up. A storm was going to come soon, and fast. And he would be there.

Orchestrating it.

A burst of song caught his attention, and he turned on time to see Angel flutter into the air and around the cave.

"You can fly again…" Jack laughed, letting out a joyed cry. "You're fine! You're okay!"

A violent gust of wind tore through the cave mouth. Jack shuddered, frowning.

"Maybe…maybe stay here today though." Jack murmured, watching as the clouds twisted into another, casting shadows over the town. "You'll get hurt agai – no!" Jack cried out as angel flew past in a blur, escaping out of the cave.

"Wait! No!"

The wind howled and Jack grabbed his staff, taking off into the air. He was too late.

Angel was gone.

—

Jack counted the dead animals as he walked through the woods.

This storm had been particularly bad – he had tried to hold it off, only to get reminded why that wouldn't work. The leaves crunched under his feet, frost digging into his heel.

"Five rabbits, six mice…seven mice…" Jack sighed, looking at the broken trees.

"Storm was coming, storm was coming…" he sang quietly, mentally adding another raccoon to his list. "But you didn't listen, didn't listen…"

There she was.

Angel was lying on her side, eyes frosted and glazed, her beak open in a silent song. Blood pooled around her head, wings crooked and torn. Her chest was still and cold.

"Good job Jack." Jack whispered, looking down at the fallen bird. "Good job. That's one more than last time."

**Hey ****sparklehannah, I remember you **

**Thanks to everyone that has reviewed so far, I hope you liked this one. I will continue with Snapped next, but in all honesty I forgot about it XD**


	26. Snapped: Broken

**Summary:**

**Jack has broken inside, and Bunny is guilty. The guardians work to try and correct the damage as Jack slowly gets worse.**

Bunny froze as Jack's eyes locked with his, blood spurting out of his parted lips as he let out a choked gurgle. He watched in horror as he collapsed to the ground, eyes wide and glassy.

"Jack!" North was the first to recover to the shock, dashing over to the spirit in the centre of the room. Bunny stared at the broken staff in his paw, flattening his ears.

"Jack! Can you hear me?" All the guardians had crowded around the fallen spirit, North crouched low next to his face. Bunny copied the action, insides churning with guilt.

Jack looked like death; his limbs trembled as he gasped, hands gripping his chest as if he was trying to split it open. Blood was running steadily from his nose and mouth, and his eyes were wide and unseeing. If it wasn't for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Bunny would've thought he was dead.

"Jack." Bunny watched as North tried to gain some kind of response from the spirit, blinking rapidly. Bunny dropped the remaining half of the staff in disgust, shaking his head.

"I didn't know…I didn't…" Bunny murmured as North continued calling Jack's name. Tooth was standing next to him, looking at the pieces of the staff in disbelief.

"It wasn't you…he was fine until –" she quickly scooped up the broken wood off the ground, stumbling as she dragged them over to Jack's trembling body.

"Jack, that's it, come on!" Finally, Jack was slowly giving a response to North's calls. His eyes slid onto focus, filled with raw pain that Bunny never thought he would have to see again.

Jack let out a small gurgle, spluttering scarlet over the floorboards. Sandy wiped some blood off his face gently.

"Jack. What is wrong?" North asked quietly. Bunny felt his heart drop as Jack tried to speak, but could only cough out more blood. The pooka jumped back as some droplets came close to him.

"B-broke…" Jack whispered, breath hitching. Only Bunny heard the small plea.

"Broke?" His mind raced. "Your staff. What do we do? Jack – stop!"

Jack had began to turn onto his side weakly, gasping. His fingers reached out for one half of the broken wood, stained with blood.

Tooth helped Jack grasp both parts, pushing them gently into his hands. The spirit, panting, unsteadily held both halves together; the guardians watched, North supporting him into a sitting position, as Jack furrowed his eyebrows in concentration.

A spark of blue emitted from the crack and Bunny's eyes widened. The light got brighter before flickering alarmingly. In panic, the Pooka looked over to the spirit just in time to see his eyes roll back and collapse in North's arms. The blue light flickered out like a dying flame.

"Jack!" Tooth yelled out as the two pieces of wood fell to the floor with a clatter. North paled, gently jostling the spirit to try and get him to respond. Bunny watched, numb.

"I…I did this…he…" he murmured. He stared at the spirit, guilt rising. Blood was dripping from his mouth and nose, sweat beading at his brow. He looked sick, and Jack Frost wasn't meant to be sick.

"We need to get him into the infirmary. Now." Bunny made his voice hard and emotionless, standing up. He looked away from the spirit, instead nodding in the direction of the small hospital room. "If he gonna get better, then that's the best place to start."

North nodded, carefully scooping Jack inti his arms. The Cossack held the spirit how a father would hold their son – close to his chest, arms wrapped around his torso in an act to protect him from death itself. Jack's head lolled, blood dripping down his neck. There was so much blood, how could so much blood – his staff only broke, how could –

"I'll get some towels." Tooth stopped Bunny's rambling thoughts, eyes studying the pooka. She sighed. "Look, this isn't your fault –"

"It is." Bunny cut in sharply. He didn't look at Tooth, instead watching as Sandy left the room behind North.

"Aster –"

"Look, I broke tha' staff." Bunny interrupted, sighing. He ran a wearied hand down his face. He brushed Tooth's hand away, moving towards the doorway. "And I'm never gonna forgive myself for tha'. But I'm not gonna stop until I fixed what I created." He picked up the broken pieces of wood, not looking back to see Tooth's expression of concern.

"Bunny –" whatever Tooth was going to say was cut off by a desperate yell.

"Bunny! Tooth!"

Bunny dashed down the halls, Tooth flying beside him, and skidded to a halt at the infirmary door in horror at the scene before him.

Jack was thrashing in his bed violently, eyes rolling into the back of his head. He was choking on his own blood, gagging as he convulsed. North was desperately cupping his hands around his head whilst Sandy was rummaging through a bag of medical equipment.

Tooth moved first as Bunny stepped back, clearing the area of any dangerous objects that the spirit's flailing limbs could hit.

"He just started having a seizure, I think it iz because of shock." North informed. Bunny moved forward, catching one of Jack's arms and pinning it down to the bed.

"How do we stop it?!" The pooka asked, staring as the spirit spluttered and gasped.

"Sandy iz trying to find something." North replied calmly, but Bunny could see the terror in his eyes as he watched Jack thrash; Bunny was sure he must look the same.

Jack suddenly let out a strangled cry, back arching. Bunny lunged forward and tried to hold him down, but Jack had fell limp, panting.

—

"Jack, open your eyes for me."

Jack felt as though someone had dipped him into fire – no, something hotter. His skin was boiling from the inside, down to his core, to his _centre_.

"Come on, Jack, that's it." Jack shook his head at the voice, wanting to sleep. He felt tired, and confused.

"I won't take no fir an answer, my boy."

With a small moan, Jack opened his eyes a crack, gasping as a harder pain flared in his body. He began to cough, feeling something spray out of his mouth. He felt like he was back in Antarctica, watching as Pitch held his broken staff in his hands.

The staff. The fight. Bunny.

_His staff._

Jack didn't realise that someone was waving a hand in front of him, instead letting his eyes wander around the room, gazing over the bright walls and shining cabinets.

"Eyes on me, please Jack."

Jack looked up to North, blinking slowly. North gave a small smile.

"Good." The Cossack said softly, rubbing his cheek. Jack leaned into the touch, wincing as pain twisted in his chest.

"H-hurts." Jack murmured, feeling drowsy. He let his eyes close.

"Wait a minute Frosty." He heard Bunny's gruff voice warn him. Jack shook his head, nestling into North's arm.

"Do you remember what happened?" Tooth's gentle voice drifted over him. Jack hummed, coughing. He tasted something metallic in his mouth and he spat it out.

"My…staff…" his mind was growing foggy. His staff broke. But he could fix it, right? But didn't he try to…

His memories blurred as someone shouted something above him. He tried to reach for his staff again, wailing as pain pulsed through his body. The longer he left it, the longer –

Jack let out a low scream, curling in on himself. He couldn't remember it being like this when Pitch –

"I need to –" someone was holding him back but Jack tried to shrug them off.

"You must rest for now, Jack." North told him. Jack let himself relax, shivering against North.

"It's happened before, y'know." He slurred, closing his eyes. "It's fine, it's happened before…"

With a small sigh, Jack let himself sleep.

**Sorry about the drop in quality with this chapter, I'm just super tired…**

**Thanks for reading!**


	27. Snapped: Exhaustion

**Summary:**

**Jack gives a long awaited explanation of how his staff snapped the first time.**

When Jack next woke he felt drained. He knew, without trying, that he couldn't move if he wanted to – and he didn't. Whatever he was lying on was comfy, cocooning him tight. He snuggled deeper, wincing as a sharp pain dug into his chest.

Shrugging it off, he was happily ready to go back to his sleep when a gentle, large hand brushed his hair back, and placed something of his forehead. Jack sighed, liking the cool touch; as he slowly came closer to consciousness he realised that he was hot like when he crashed in Australia. Snow was supposed to be cold, so he guessed that he should really get out of the sheets…but they were too comfy.

Someone, he realised, was calling his name, which was quite annoying seeing as he was trying to go to sleep and ignore the _stabbing pain _in his abdomen. Jack wanted to wake up and tell the voice to stop, but opening his eyelids proved the most difficult task yet.

Still, he stubbornly willed his eyes to open, finding himself staring into a darker blue pair.

"North?" Jack conformed aloud, shivering – _wait why was he shivering so much – _and North responded but smiling, though his eyes were shadowed.

"How do you feel?" Someone asked to his left. Tooth. How had he not seen her? Looking around, he saw that the others were gathered around his bed; Bunny was holding the pieces of his staff loosely, the fragments almost slipping from his arm.

He forgot his staff broke.

Tooth was leaning closer to him, and he realised that he hadn't answered her question. He swallowed, blinking slowly.

"Better…" it was true, though quite unnerving. It was as if his senses had dulled, trying to ease his pain. Either that or his brain was dying, which wasn't as nice.

Jack, instead of waiting for Tooth's response, found himself gazing at his staff again, furrowing his eyebrows. He knew he had the ability to fix it, but this situation was entirely different to the last one. Before, he was trapped in a crevice, high on adrenaline. The fix had been pretty quick after the break, so he hadn't had much time to acknowledge the pain and exhaustion.

Now, it had been a long time since it broke. Now he was weaker, filled with fever. Now, he was most definitely exhausted, and most definitely in pain.

How long had he been asleep anyway?

"Almost a day." Bunny answered quietly from his right. Jack blinked again, unaware that he had asked the question aloud. His brain felt like mush.

He had to fix the staff, he decided as North began to say something to him, and he had to fix it quick. He could feel each second drag by, weakening him further. He was fairly sure he wouldn't die from his conduct breaking, but he could feel his powers rising inside him He could feel them tearing open his chest – without a safe way to release his powers, _they_ were probably were going to kill him.

It really did suck being the only winter spirit at times.

Jack reached out to his staff pieces, flexing his fingers. North paused in whatever he was saying.

"What is it?" Bunny looked down at the staff, and up at Jack again in confusion. Jack tried to explain, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate. Long sentences baffled him at that current time, so he let out a small "staff" in response.

"It's broken, Jack." Tooth said, misunderstanding. Jack let out small huff of annoyance. Bunny caught his eye and the spirit was suddenly glad that the pooka looked at that moment, at the peak of his frustration and desperation. The older guardian understood his message, and reacted to it immediately.

"He knows tha'" he growled. He moved closer, placing the staff pieces on the white sheets. The other guardians murmured nervously around him as he snatched them into each hand.

"He said he could fix it."

"When did it happen before?"

"Why?"

"Can he do it?"

"He can barely hold it!"

Jack closed his eyes, grinding his teeth, and pushed the voices away from his mind. He could feel his power rippling under his fingertips, and he urged it further, slamming the two fragments together. All noises had settled to a dull hum as he concentrated, pleasing with himself to correct the mistake.

A blinding white light seeped through his eyelids as he felt a shock wave of cold air blast through the halls of the workshop. He imagined the ice weaving through the cracks of the wood, binding them together.

Jack could pinpoint the moment when the staff was whole once more. The agonising pain left almost instantly, and he could feel himself grow cooler.

The spirit opened his eyes slowly, breathing deeply. The guardians were grouped around him, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Jack…" North began but Jack, with a faint smile, passed out.

—

The next time he woke he realised that it was night; lamps had been lit to a low light in the room which, he realised, was his own, and not an infirmary bed. It was a nice change to see his own icicles hanging from the roof and his own frost coating the walls, and it was nice to find himself in his own bed, in his own freezing sheets.

He was so happy to be in a familiar place that he hadn't spotted Bunny.

Actually, he wouldn't have noticed him at all, only that Bunny announced his presence in a typical fashion.

"Finally awake, are ya?" The pooka said, shifting in the chair that had been placed beside his bed. Jack blinked for a few seconds, processing the question. His brain was still basically scrambled in a mix of exhaustion and fever. He must've been quiet for a while, because Bunny, who had previously been acting relaxed and calm, was now leaning over towards him, face twisted in concern.

"Jack?" Bunny asked. Jack blinked again slowly.

"Yeah?" He murmured, shifting in the sheets.

Bunny's words were ignored before he even started, the spirit already distracted by the glowing wood in his hands. His staff was completely intact, and frosting at his touch.

"When did ya staff last break?"

Bunny's question pulled Jack from his daydreams. The spirit faced him, tilting his head. Bunny was staring back at him, his expression unreadable.

"Err…what?" Jack asked, burying himself in the sheets. The squeak of the chair told Jack that Bunny had moved closer, hardening his gaze.

"What happened? The last time?" Bunny repeated. Jack looked up at him, biting his lip. There was no escaping it, and he cursed himself and his fevered rambles.

"It was a long time ago…" Jack said uneasily. The event, despite his words, was still as clear as the staff in his hands: restricting and unpleasant.

"Wha' happened?" The pooka persisted. Jack muttered something under his breath. "Wha' was that?"

"It was on _that _Easter…when Pitch destroyed your eggs." Jack began, fiddling with the sheets. He hugged his staff close to him, trying to gain some comfort.

Bunny winced at the memory, but urged Jack to continue.

"Well, when I flew off I went to Antarctica and…Pitch was there, waiting."

"He what?!" Bunny burst out, shaking his head. Jack stared at him. "And then what happened?" Jack let his eyes close, deciding he was too tired to keep them open. He kept the details short, figuring that they weren't really needed – he didn't want to give away the secret more than he needed to.

"Well, he had captured baby tooth." Jack continued. "He said he wanted a trade – my staff for baby tooth. I said yes." Jack shivered. "He didn't give me baby tooth anyway, obviously, and snapped my staff. The end."

He heard Bunny breathe in deeply, containing what he guessed was an outraged yell. There was a few heartbeat's silence before Bunny said anything.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Jack opened one eye. In all of his time spent with him, he had never heard Bunny say sorry – not as shamefully as this. It was strange, especially when he didn't know what he was going to apologise for. "Sorry for what?"

"Breaking' ya staff." Bunny muttered. Jack smiled, closing his eyes again. He moved closer to the pooka, leaning against his arm.

"It's fine. I'm over it." Jack grinned sleepily. "You did it by accident. Pitch did it on purpose."

"There's a difference?"

"To me there is."

**I haven't read over this so excuse mistakes **


	28. Small Comforts

**Summary:**

**Something is up with Jack, and North notices. **

**Enjoy ;)**

Jack had a morning routine in the pole.

After freezing some unfortunate elves that wandered into his room, he would ice the first floor of the workshop and perch as the yeti tried to get over to their workstations. Despite the yeti making ice shoes specifically for this obstacle, the spirit would entertain himself further by throwing elves into the fray; North could hear him cackling from two floors below.

In a way that somewhat resembled a whirlwind, Jack would then run down the stairs, jumping a few feet down at a time. Though North warned him about rough landings, each day he decided to stay at the Pole he would do the same – and as a result there were enough rough landings to fill his naughty list. What was better or worse (depending on how you saw it) was the fact that the spirit would often throw snowballs down the staircases, mercilessly raining snow on the yeti's heads.

After a quick "morning", as sure as he was Santa, Jack would literally launch himself out of the window for a new day. To North, Jack was as flighty and fast as one of the baby tooth on coffee – though North knew without a doubt that he wouldn't have it in any other way.

So when there was no sign of yeti slipping, no sounds of clumsy falls and no laughter, North felt a little uneasy.

He knew that there was a very large possibility that Jack wasn't in the pole at all – he was a winter spirit, so only the moon knows what else he did out of North's watchful eye. But the problem was that he _knew _Jack was most definitely indoors. A yeti had alerted him of the spirit's presence the night before. Looking back, it was slightly odd that Jack hadn't even talked to him that night.

The unease only grew and so North decided to investigate. Rising from the dining table, he began to ascend up the stairs. No ice was on the walls.

Jack's bedroom door was open slightly when he reached it, letting in a small amount of light. Deciding that this was an invitation, North stepped inside, gently closing the door to announce his presence.

At first he didn't spot Jack; he was looking on the ground or on the bed with panic, expecting to find him injured or sick and unable to move. His stomach flipped when the spirit was nowhere to be seen, however a quiet creek from above made him look up.

Jack was sitting on the rafters on the ceiling of his room, and it seemed like North had come in a little too quietly as the spirit had not seen him, and instead was frosting the wall he was leaning against. Little details caught North's attention that stopped him from calling out – such as his hood was up, his staff abandoned on the floor; never a good sign. So instead of calling out to him merrily like he planned to, he spoke more softly.

"Jack?" He said. Despite his low voice the spirit jumped, almost toppling over. The unusual clumsiness took North by surprise.

"Oh, hi North." Jack plastered on a smile that made the older guardian flinch. "I didn't hear you come in…I better go –"

"No, stay." North gave a small smile as Jack slowly nodded, coming down from his perch. He landed with a small thump onto the frosted bed sheets, where the Cossack sat next to him. When the spirit didn't speak for a while, North sighed and moved closer to him.

"What iz wrong, hmm?" He asked. He could tell the question caught Jack off guard; for a moment his mask flickered, revealing a wounded face that North hoped he never had to see again. A second later, it was gone and replaced with a small, uneasy smile.

"Was it that obvious?" The spirit asked, sighing. North nodded.

"You are usually making ice rink of my floor right now." He replied, chuckling lightly. Jack smiled weakly, then bit his lip.

"I just didn't really feel like it today." The spirit shifted uncomfortably, looking up at his staff, which was still hanging from the rafters.

North had seen many children in his lifetime – he was the Santa, after all – and he had seen his fair share of upset children, hiding their problems. He could cheer them up with a present, or just a warm hug, but his gut told him that this was different. For once Santa was not sure how to comfort a child. An older child, granted, but a child all the same. The demons that were plaguing Jack couldn't be solved by a quick "Merry Christmas" or a nice little toy, but North wanted to try.

"Do you want to tell me why?" The older asked kindly, giving a small reassuring smile. He saw Jack's eyes darken and he looked away, apparently deep in thought.

"I…" Jack tugged on his hoodie sleeve, twisting in in his fingers. North was patient. "It's just…"the spirit shook his head sighing. He gazed down at the floor. "I'm sorry. Not yet."

North nodded, smiling as Jack looked at him in surprise. After all, Santa had met all the children of the world – and not everyone could tell him what was wrong as fast as others could.

"That is fine." North replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. For the first time that day, Jack gave him a genuine smile, and despite it being small it was there, and North wanted too keep it there. Not every problem could be solved by a "Merry Christmas" or a nice toy, but they could certainly be helped with things like those. The best situation would be where North would hug Jack, and Jack would hug back – on the other hand, however…

"You know, Bunny iz collecting dyes today, out of his little Warren." North glanced at Jack slyly, smiling. Jack turned to him, eyes lightening up.

"And why would you tell me that?" He teased, staff falling in his hands. He grinned. "I won't have enough time to freeze it all before he catches me in the act."

"Well, if you had some help…" North grinned, pulling out a snow globe from his pockets. Jack gave a short laugh, springing up. He gasped.

"You are influencing a poor, innocent child's thoughts…" the spirit snatched the snow globe from North's hands, smashing it onto the ground. As always, a swirl of bright colours was emitted, dancing in front of their eyes.

"I am Santa. I am allowed." North gestured to the portal. "After you."

Jack leapt forward, but paused in mid step.

"North?" He turned, pulling down his hood.

"Yes?"

"Thanks…" the spirit quickly jumped into the portal, leaving North smiling behind him.

The older guardian was slightly disappointed that Jack couldn't talk freely yet, but he could wait.

North was patient, and time wasn't a problem.

**Sorry this is short but I kinda have hit a block. Oops. **

**Hope you enjoyed anyway **


	29. Believe It

**Summary:**

**Jack hadn't seen Jamie in years – ever since the other Burgess kids stopped believing he didn't want to see his first believer drift away. His trust was damaged as reality faced him, so he didn't talk to children anymore, preferring not to experience more loss that would happen. **

**However, he didn't predict getting hurt and then badgered by a child that he was slowly beginning to like.**

**In this, it has been thirty years since the battle with Pitch Black.**

**I don't own rotg...**

Jack stumbled and fell, cursing as his ankle twinged with pain. He wasn't in a hurry to get up, with his many cuts, bruises and broken bones, so he settled on lying in the crisp leaves, letting his eyes close as he thought of a plan.

It really wasn't his idea to be trapped out in the open, flightless, but during that really stupid – and unfair might he add – attack it slipped from his hands.

And it was summer. Just great.

He could already feel himself growing warmer and he really wanted to hide in a cave until winter, but then he wouldn't be able to see the other guardians until then, and let's face it, he'd get too lonely. So he was looking for his staff, still not completely sure where he was, slowly bleeding out on the ground.

Just great. And to think he was going to pet some reindeer.

Jack bit his lip as pain ripped through his abdomen, digging his nails into the dirt. With a grunt, he curled up on his side, pressing his palm onto the wound. He could feel blood pulse under his fingers and he winced.

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea…" Jack was mildly concerned about how faint and raw his voice sounded. He almost laughed at the fact that he almost sounded old for once, but a rustling caught his attention (or what attention he had left) and he instinctively tried to get up from his pitiful position. The spirit managed to surprisingly get to his feet, swaying, and took a few hesitant steps forward and into the trees.

However, his luck was short lived. Ungracefully, he fell back onto the ground, collapsing against a tree.

Deciding it was better to stay put than try and get up again, Jack dragged himself behind the tree, hissing as the burns on his arms brushed against the bark.

"Daddy!" A child's high voice cut through the woodland, and a moment later a freckles face emerged from where the rustling had previously been.

Jack scowled, letting out a short chuckle at his stupidity. Of course it had to be a child he was running away from.

That was just the Jack Frost way.

The spirit let himself relax, leaning against the trunk, a small smile crossing his lips. Blood dribbled from his hairline and down his neck, making it itch.

He closed his eyes again, ignoring the child, cursing as sunlight hit his eyelids. He really should get going soon unless he wanted to be a puddle of –

"Hello? Sir?"

Jack's eyes snapped open and he looked up, startled. He was met with large brown eyes.

The girl that had called out before was now staring at him, blinking owlishly – no not staring at him, it must be something else.

He sighed, panting as the heat began to take its toll, and his fevered mind taking too long to conjure up an answer, so he just groaned.

"Sir? Are you okay?" The girl asked again, and Jack tilted his head.

Was a child really seeing him? She certainly seemed to see him because she was still looking at him.

"Just peachy." Jack murmured, closing his eyes again. Okay, he knew it was summer but this heat was ridiculous.

He pulled his hand from his side wound, frowning at the blood coating his hand. He looked back up at the child briefly, who was staring wide eyed at the red.

Muttering a curse, Jack hastily hid his hand in his hoodie. He smiled sheepishly, closing his eyes again.

"Ignore that."

Jack thought the child had gone, but a small hand shook his shoulder.

"What?" Jack opened his eyes again, and saw the girl had moved closer to him.

"Can you help me?" She asked quietly. Jack saw her eyes brim with tears and sighed. He wasn't sure if he could get up, but he might as well hear what she had to say. It wasn't like he was going to stay long.

"What do you need?" He looked at the girl lazily, wincing as his burns began to throb. His sideways worse, but nothing he hadn't felt before. But then again, before he had never been dropped from the sky on a summer's day with only a child for company.

"I'm lost." The girl's bottom lip trembled. "And I don't know what to do…"

"Join the club kid." Jack muttered, looking around the woods. They did look simple, which is probably how the girl got lost. Too many identical trees.

The girl was still standing next to him, unsure, so Jack sat more upright, wincing.

"Where did you come from?" The spirit asked louder, watching the girl think. She was what – five years old? Why was she in these damn woods in the first place?

"Err…I don't know…" she sniffed. "I was following a rabbit and I don't know the way back home…" she started to cry, and Jack hushed her. Something about her reminded him of something, but he couldn't place his finger on what.

"It's okay, you're going to be just fine."

_I can't say that about myself, _Jack thought grimly as his vision doubled. Through the hazy eyesight he saw the girl bite her lip. His eyes softened. "You have to believe in me."

The girl looked up at him and nodded shyly, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve.

"Wind?" Jack's voice was a whimper again, and his throat felt like sandpaper. In response, the wind blew gently around him and for a moment he closed his eyes, relishing in the slightly colder air. "Could you tell me where the nearest town is?" The wind tugged north, scattering leaves. Jack felt himself smile.

"I'll get you home, don't worry." Jack reassured the child, shifting his legs weakly. He was regretting having to get up until the girl smiled, giggling in excitement. She sprang up from her slouch, laughing.

"Hold on…" Jack's chuckle turned into an exhausted groan as his side flared with pain as he tried to move.

Staying on the ground sounded really tempting at this point.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked again, moving closer towards him. Jack couldn't answer but gave her a weak smile.

Muttering another curse, Jack heaved himself to his feet, using the bark as a support. With a pang, he remembered his staff, but decided to look for it later – it could be anywhere now.

The spirit's vision swam and his legs shook as he stood, and he had to wait a few minutes to pull himself together. The heat was burning onto his back, melting all the last remains of frost clinging onto his hoodie.

The wind blew gently around him again, tugging him in the right direction in encouragement. The girl was watching him, twisting her brown hair.

"Come on, let's go." He whispered, gesturing forward with his hand. The girl skipped forward. The weight of being lost forever had been lifted from her shoulders, and now she was much more confident and active.

"I'm Natalie!" She introduced herself, proudly pointing at her chest. Jack gave a weak smile.

"I'm Jack Frost." He replied, stumbling. The girl gasped, eyes widening.

"Jack Frost!" She giggled. "My Daddy told me about you! You make snow, right! He said that you create cool snow slides and huge snowmen and pretty snowflakes and…" Jack zoned out of the conversation, feeling himself grow weaker with each passing step. His breaths were now sounding like pathetic wheezes, and he cursed his stupidly caring nature when it came to children. He thought he learnt his lesson, but obviously he was wrong.

They really weren't that far from civilisation, he thought as the girl babbled on about picnics and rabbits, but still quite far away. He could see some unnatural colours through the trees, and hear cars rumbling in the distance.

"Just…over…there…" Jack gasped, pointing ahead. Apparently his body took that as a queue to give up.

He collapsed, landing hard on the ground, and he groaned quietly. He could feel the blood spreading over his hoodie and he mentally sighed. The girl might've ran over to him, he wasn't sure, but he did hear something about "help" and "Daddy" and he suddenly wanted to know what made the dad such a fucking genius to be able to help a winter spirit trapped in the sun.

This time, no one interrupted when he closed his eyes and he let himself smile briefly before the pain got too much for him to bare.

His last thoughts was how much he hated summer spirits.

**Tell me what you think (if you can) because I really don't know what I'm doing anymore.**

**Hope you like, sorry about grammar and stuff but I don't read back on my work **


	30. Believe It 2

**Summary:**

**Jamie hasn't seen Jack in years…but all of a sudden his daughter leads him to his old friend, who is dying before his eyes. **

**Jamie doesn't know how or why Jack is there, but he will protect Jack, just as Jack promised to protect him all those years ago. **

Jamie but his lip, running a stressed hand through his hair. His other child, Wren, was sucking his thumb, clutching his shirt. Jamie patted him on the head, forcing a smile.

"We'll find your sister, I promise." Jamie gently pulled Wren's thumb from his mouth. "And you know Daddy doesn't break his promises." Wren looked up at him, blue eyes wide and fearful.

"Jus' like Jack Frost?" He asked, a ghost of a smile flickering on his face. Jamie smiled properly, holding his hand. He nodded.

He looked up at the sky for a second, giving a small sigh.

He hadn't seen or heard of Jack Frost in a long time.

He sometimes saw the other guardians, if he was lucky – and still awake. Each of them were busy with their own jobs, so they didn't cross much – and whenever they did he was so overcome with boyish excitement that he forgot to ask about Jack's well-being or whereabouts, which was slightly frustrating. He was glad to know, unlike his other friends, that his belief hadn't died one bit, and he was still as childish as ever.

"Nat!" Jamie yelled, holding his son's hand tighter reassuringly. His son echoed his call, pleased to be able to help in some way. He was three, and had almost mastered the art of talking, and he often let everyone in range know about it.

Jamie frowned as his call received no answer, and he began to pull out his phone. It had been too long. He bit his lip, his thumb hovering over the dial screen.

"Nat-ly! Nat-ly!" Wren chirped, thrusting a chubby finger out in front of him. Jamie looked up letting out a choked sob of relief.

"Natalie!" Jamie ran towards his daughter, scooping her up into a huge hug. Wren giggled, chanting "nay-ly's back!"

"Daddy!" His daughter buried her face into his shoulder, he soft hair rubbing against his cheek. Jamie tightened his grip, pressing his lips on her forehead.

"What were you thinking, Nat?" He muttered, combing his fingers through her hair. Natalie gave a guilty smile.

"I saw a rabbit…an' I wanted to chase it…an' I got lost in the woods." She suddenly gasped, eyes widening.

"Daddy I saw Jack Frost!" She cried out. Jamie blinked, startled. He looked up again at the cloudless sky, frowning.

Instead of the initial joy that had buzzed inside of him, small churns of worry began in his chest. After all this time, why would Jack come on a bright summer's day, in the middle of the woods. He looked over at the group of trees, loosening his hold on his daughter.

Wren was now chanting "Jack Frost" excitedly as his daughter looked back towards the woods, a small expression of worry uncharacteristically on the child's face. Jamie's stomach sank.

"What's wrong sweetie?" He asked, holding her hand. Her fingers threaded in between his, stained with dirt and bracken.

"He didn't act right, Daddy." Natalie muttered. Jamie bit his lip again, tasting blood on his tongue as his child continued. "You know when you tell me what sick people look like?"

Being a doctor, Jamie always had to deal with sick or injured people that came into A and E. In some cases, however, people decided to turn up for the slightest things, wasting his and other doctor's precious time. He decided to tell his children one day how you decide whether to call the ambulance, and gave a PG rated description of what to look out for. Wren didn't listen much – not that he had expected him too – but Natalie surprisingly took on his advice, helping other children her age know whether they were sick, or whether they were going to die from a knee-graze. It was something that he had always admired from his daughter, and now it seemed that the knowledge had truly paid off.

"He looked like that." Natalie finished, still looking at the woods. Jamie followed her gaze, grabbing Wren's hand as he tried to wander off.

His stomach twisted at the thought of his childhood – no, best friend – potentially sick, or stranded. The burning heat on the back of his neck reminded him of the dangers it posed to Jack, and he began to walk to the woods, hoping for clues. Natalie obediently followed, holding Wren's other hand.

"He fell down too Daddy." She told him. Jamie sped up his pace as she continued, not knowing the importance of her words. "He fell and didn't get up – I tried to wake him but he fell asleep. Was he tired, Daddy?"

Jamie didn't answer his daughter's babbles, breaking into the trees. He scanned the surroundings, eyes feverishly searching for a glimpse of blue and white.

"There he is!" Natalie pointed further into the forest, and for a moment Jamie couldn't see anything. But then, as he squinted, he spotted a familiar blue hoodie – something he thought he wouldn't see ever again.

"Jack!" Jamie breathed. He let go of Natalie's hand, trusting her not to move, and stumbled over to his friend. At first, he thought he just passed out under the sun – nothing he couldn't fix.

But then he saw the blood.

It was first a few stains on leaves, almost passable as natural colouring. But then the metallic scent hit his nose, and the broken image of Jack fully came into view.

Blood matted his hair and clothes, seeping onto the forest floor. A large slash took up half his torso, and any other piece of his was covered in bruises and cuts. His leg was almost looking as bad, with his ankle crooked and three parallel scratches just below his knee that stretched to his foot. Dark bags hung under his eyes and his skin was glistening with sweat – but what panicked Jamie the most was the uneven, heavy breaths that shook Jack's rib cage, almost as if each one was too much effort.

Wren made a small sniffling sound, and Jamie was freed from his paralysis, turning to his children quickly.

"Don't look, okay?" He asked them softly. He crouched and stroked Wren's tearful face. "Don't look now."

"Daddy?" Natalie began, but Jamie cut her off.

"You remember the way out this time, right Nat?" He asked. Natalie nodded, holding Wren's hand. He forced a smile. "Good girl. Do you think you are brave enough to lead Wren out of here all by yourself? Daddy will join you soon." His daughter nodded again, but still looked unsure. Jamie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Wait by your favourite tree – can you do that?"

Struck with the familiarity of "her" tree, Natalie nodded again, looking more sure of herself. She tugged Wren's hand, gently getting him to follow. Jamie watched them for a few seconds before quickly dropping to his knees, pulling off the jacket tied around his waist. He pressed it against the large, most troubling wound on the spirit's side, worried when Jack didn't even flinch.

"Jack?" Jamie called quietly, forcing himself to stay calm. Situations like this arose fairly often at the hospital, but it was always with an unknown face. No one close to him. But this was Jack Frost, someone he had known for years, dying in front of him.

He shook his head, pushing away the grim thought. He gently shook Jack's shoulder.

"Jack?" This time Jack reacted, though pitifully, as his eyelids flickered, but stayed closed. Jamie persistently called the spirit's name again, ignoring the way he could feel the blood soak through his jacket and onto his fingers.

"Wake up." He whispered. Slowly, Jack's eyes cracked open, hazy and clouded. They shifted so they were looking at him.

"Jack. It's me." Jamie pressed harder on the wound, making Jack flinch. The spirit looked confused, swallowing thickly. Jamie gave a weak smile.

"It's Jamie. Do you remember me?" He asked. Something like recognition flared in Jack's eyes, and a small smile spread across his lips.

"Hey kiddo."


	31. Believe It 3

**Summary:**

**Jamie has never helped Jack before – it was always the other way around. But now the spirit's life was in his hands, and he wasn't about to let it go.**

Jamie, after a second's debate, decided that what Jack really needed now was somewhere out of the sun; he had heard from the other guardians what happened when Jack stayed out in the sun too long, and knew it would only worsen his condition. He pressed down harder against the large wound on his torso, jostling Jack from his temporary unconsciousness. The spirit already was looking worse: his eyes were almost grey when they gazed at Jamie in confusion.

"I need to lift you." Jamie told his friend. Jack didn't seem to register what he said, his eyes already fluttering shit again. Jamie gave him a sharp pinch, biting his lip. "Come on, you need to stay awake."

"I'm tired though…" Jack whispered, panting. Jamie forced a smile, trying to ignore how raspy the spirit's breaths were beginning to sound. Jamie was suddenly struck with how young Jack actually looked – too young in his opinion. The last time Jamie had seen Jack was when he was thirteen, when Jack still towered over him. But now, as he studied his boyish features, he realised that Jack was roughly eighteen, barely an adult. How Jack managed to save the other guardians was beyond him.

"You can't sleep yet, but later." Jamie said quietly, slowly wrapping his arms around Jack's shoulders. Jack gave a low whine, tears pricking out of the corner of his eyes, and Jamie felt sympathy wave over him. The moment passed and Jack quickly went limp in his arms, his hand swinging as the brunette walked out of the woods.

"You still there?" Jamie asked. Jack groaned in reply, giving a small nod. Speeding up his pace, Jamie broke into the park's open field, spotting his children a few metres away. They ran towards him, hovering at his side as he walked quickly to his home. He thanked himself for picking a house so close by to the destination all those years ago – only a five minutes walk away. With the added bonus that Jack weighed almost nothing (though not necessarily a good thing) Jamie could get to his home in a reasonably short time. He was already on the doorstep, frowning as Jack coughed weakly, moaning quietly. He could feel weak tremors underneath his hoodie, and he realised sickeningly that there was now trail of splattered blood leading up to the door.

Natalie grabbed the keys from the flowerpot, unlocking the door, and Jamie wasted no time in rushing into his living room, gently lowering Jack onto the couch. The spirit didn't react, and he couldn't decide whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that he couldn't feel the pain.

"Kids, could you go play upstairs until Daddy calls you back down again?" He asked over his shoulder, already routing through the several drawers dotted around the sofa for any blankets.

"Ok." He didn't see Natalie or Wren go, but he heard them stomp upstairs, opening their bedroom door.

Jamie cursed, realising he was looking in the wrong place, and ran into the bathroom. He grabbed a bundle of white towels and dashed back, shutting the door behind him.

"Jack? Can you wake up for me?" Jack had fallen unconscious again, and the constant flickering between worried the brunette. He watched as his friend stirred but didn't open his eyes. Blood was already staining the sofa, and Jamie began to place towels over his wounds, whispering soothing words as Jack twitched in pain.

"That's it." Jamie whispered as Jack opened his eyes. He groaned, murmuring something that Jamie only just caught.

"It's hot…" the spirit, though not as bad as before, was sweating, his eyes still glazed. Jamie sprang to his feet, running over to the kitchen and grabbing the large first aid kit lying on the counter. He also, as a second thought, grabbed a glass, filling it with water.

When Jamie returned, Jack had curled up on his side, his hands wrapped around his torso. He was biting his lip, small frame full of tremors. Jamie dropped to the spirit's side, placing a hand on his forehead, brushing back the bangs. He was burning up, and quickly.

"It's okay…just look at me." Jamie ordered gently, forcing his voice to stay calm. Jack obeyed surprisingly fast, his gaze shifting focus abruptly. His face was creased with pain and fear, making Jamie's heart clench.

"Here. It's okay." Jamie grabbed a few ice packs, placing them around Jack like a nest, and let the last one rest on his forehead. Jack suddenly gave a strangled scream, his back arching, splattering the sofa with blood. Jamie stubbornly pushes the tears from his eyes, grabbing some scissors. His hand hovered over Jack's chest for a second before he cut through the blue hoodie to get a better look at the wound; not that Jack seemed to notice, trapped in his own world of fever and pain.

The wound on his side wasn't as bad as Jamie imagined it to be. Though a large slash, it hadn't hit any organs, making his life much easier. The brunette grabbed some disinfectant from the first aid kit, unscrewing the lid.

"Jack, this will hurt." Jamie warned, pouring some of the foul-smelling liquid into the cloth. Jack looked at him, his eyes bright with pain and fever. Jamie couldn't bring himself to meet the stare, instead squaring his shoulders, trying to barricade his emotions physically. He moved his hand down quickly, gritting his teeth.

Jack screamed when the disinfectant touched his wound, his back arching again to try and battle against the pain. The spirit began to thrash, blood seeping out of the many cuts that littered his body.

"Jack please!" Jamie was crying, all professionally abandoned as he saw his childhood friend writhe with pain. "You have to trust me!"

Something about his words seemed to get through to Jack. The spirit stopped moving, his head flopping back into the cushions. His body still shook, his face still pale, but he had visibly calmed in a way that Jamie had never seen before.

"It just…really hurts…" Jack murmured, his eyes staring at the wall opposite. Jamie sighed, bringing the cloth away from the wound. He was certain it wouldn't get infected.

"I know. But it's over." Jamie looked at the other wounds briefly, deciding that they could be dealt with later.

"Sorry." Jack slurred, coughing. Jamie looked up from studying the wound, surprised.

"For what?"

"For leaving you…for so long…" Jamie was sure it was the fever making Jack speak the truth so quickly, but he found himself listening to his words. "I was just afraid…"

"Of what?" Jamie asked, but Jack didn't answer, apparently losing interest in the conversation. The brunette, seeing Jack shiver again (seriously, Jack Frost should never shiver, this fever was bad) looked back down at the first aid kit, glaring at the needle and thread lying in the centre. He didn't want to put Jack in so much pain again – he was fairly sure it would kill him – but the wound on his side would only continue to bleed dangerously. The towel he had pressed on it was already being stained red; Jamie had never seen anyone lose this much blood and live.

"Here." Jamie handed Jack the glass of water. When it was clear that Jack was still only half aware, the brunette pressed it to his lips, helping him drink. Jack moaned, catching sight of the needle and thread in Jamie's other hand.

"I need stitches?" The spirit asked quietly. Jamie nodded grimly.

"It's gonna hurt, isn't it?" Jack asked, not expecting an answer. "Bunny had to stitch me up once…"

Jamie saw the fear flash in Jack's eyes at the sight of the needle, so he chose to try and distract him from the pain that would come; Jack always asked him questions whenever he got hurt as a kid as he froze the wounds with his staff.

Speaking of the staff, where was it?

"Where did your staff go?" Jamie asked, dipping the needle in the disinfectant.

"I lost it…I know where it fell though, I just couldn't…make it…" Jack had closed his eyes drowsily, and Jamie gave him a hard pinch to keep him awake. However, it didn't seem to be working this time; the pain in Jack's body was simply more demanding.

"What even happened?" Jamie asked lightly, trying to keep him engaged. "I mean, I don't think you meant to turn up at my feet like this." He steadied his shaking hand, pressing it against Jack's skin. It would be about twelve stitches.

Jack gave a weak laugh.

"Summer spirits…they don't like me…" Jack muttered, curling his fingers as Jamie stabbed through his skin. "I wanted to go to the – " he cried out as the pain grew.

"And?" Ten more stitches.

"They – they got annoyed –" his breath hitched.

"Breathe. Breathe Jack." Jamie instructed. Jack let out a shaky breath. "How on earth would you ever annoy anyone?" He tried to joke, threading the needle. Nine stitches.

"I know…" Jack laughed, but it turned into a groan. "They kinda ambushed me and took my staff…"

"Ouch." Jamie muttered. Seven stitches.

"I fell…an' then that kid came…" Jack's eyes were closing again, blue skits against his pale complexion.

"That was my daughter." Jamie said, trying to block out Jack's sudden cry of pain. Five stitches.

"She was nice." Jack coughed. "She was lost…"

"She gets lost a lot." Jamie smiled, despite the circumstances, at the thought of his daughter. Three more stitches. "Almost done."

"Thank Moon." Jack murmured, nestling closer to the icepack. Jamie looked up at Jack briefly, almost cursing at how quickly he had deteriorated. His skin was now almost transparent, he had large bags under his eyes and sweat glistened on his chest. He looked like death. The rasping breaths only amplified the fact, and Jamie finished as quick as he could, not wanting to push Jack further over his limit.

"Done." Jamie cut the thread, wiping the newly-stitched wound with the remaining towel. Jack hummed, closing his eyes.

"Here." The brunette rearranged the ice packs over Jack's bare chest. Jack let out a pleased sigh, muscles visibly relaxing. Jamie let himself smile, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Don't sleep yet." He said as Jack was beginning to drift off. Jack let out a low moan. "I've got to check that these other wounds don't need healing as much as this one."

"When did you get so smart?" Jack muttered. Jamie laughed.

"I'm a doctor now." He replied. He studied at the odd angle Jack's leg was at, deciding that he could splint it, but he didn't have the correct equipment. He could always wrap some bandages around it, using a long stick as a support like they used to do. Then, when Jack was up to it, he could be moved to the guardians. The brunette decided that he wasn't going to warn Jack of what he was going to do, grabbing one of the many sticks Wren had scattered around the house from his "adventures".

His experienced hands wrenched the leg back into position, and Jack let out a scream, shifting weakly.

"It's fine, it's gonna be fine." Jamie quickly made the DIY support, glancing up at the spirit, who was gritting his teeth. "Sorry."

"No…you're doing a great job." Jack whispered, calming down. "I could never do this by myself."

Jamie smiled, treating the other wounds fairly quickly – he was right, the wounds weren't as serious, and they were fixed with some disinfectant and a bandage or two. He was still worried about Jack's fever, but figured it was best to let the spirit sleep.

He wrapped a blanket around Jack's torso, pleased to see that the spirit was already physically recovering. Jamie slumped beside him, leaning his head back on the armrest.

"Why do you still believe?" Jack asked him unexpectedly, on the brink of sleep. Jamie paused, letting his body relax.

"I could never stop, not like the others." He replied truthfully. "You always were there for me – and I vowed that I would be there for you when you came back, and I was."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to see you go…" Jack murmured sleepily, shifting slightly. Jamie smiled.

"I understand." The brunette threaded Jack's fingers in his own, trying to comfort him like he had done all those years ago. "Just don't run off again."

Jack laughed, and a few moments later he fell asleep. Jamie sighed, running a hand over his face. For many moments during the last few hours, he thought that Jack would slip away in his care. But he had done it.

He had returned the favour.

**Yeah…I dunno whether this was good or not…and sorry for the wait, I just wasn't motivated until now **


End file.
